Guatemala and Honduras have disputed claims by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that they signed immigration agreements to accept asylum seekers from third countries during her Central American visit, AP reported.

Noem announced on June 26 that both nations had concluded deals to provide refuge for migrants who would otherwise seek asylum in the United States, describing the arrangements as part of expanded efforts to offer alternatives to US-bound asylum seekers.

"Honduras and now Guatemala after today will be countries that will take those individuals and give them refugee status as well," Noem said. "We've never believed that the United States should be the only option, that the guarantee for a refugee is that they go somewhere to be safe and to be protected from whatever threat they face in their country. It doesn't necessarily have to be the United States."

However, both governments swiftly contradicted these assertions. Guatemala's presidential communications office denied signing any immigration-related agreements during Noem's visit, clarifying that the country would only receive Central American deportees as a temporary transit point before their return home.

Honduras immigration director Wilson Paz similarly rejected claims that such accords had been concluded, whilst the foreign affairs ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The contradictory statements highlight tensions surrounding the Trump administration's efforts to establish third-country deportation arrangements as part of broader immigration enforcement measures.

During Trump's first presidency, Washington secured so-called safe third-country agreements with Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, enabling US authorities to declare certain asylum seekers ineligible for American protection and transfer them to these designated nations.

The administration has since expanded such arrangements beyond Central America. Kosovo recently confirmed accepting 50 deportees under a temporary relocation programme, with its Washington embassy stating that migrants would be "temporarily relocated" whilst officials arrange "their safe return to their home country."

Other nations including El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama have also received third-country deportees under similar frameworks.

Rwanda's government has held preliminary discussions about potentially accepting deportees, with Foreign Minister Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe confirming "early stage" talks in May.

The deportation strategy provides US authorities with additional options for migrants from countries where direct repatriation proves difficult, though implementation has faced various logistical and diplomatic challenges.

Mexico has declined to sign formal safe third-country agreements but has accepted over 5,000 migrants from other nations deported from the United States since Trump's return to office, citing humanitarian considerations.