Vietnam agrees to speed up deportations from US to avoid tariffs

Vietnam has pledged to expedite the deportation of Vietnamese nationals facing removal from the United States, following US threats of trade tariffs and visa sanctions, according to an immigration lawyer briefed on the matter.

More than 8,600 Vietnamese nationals, many of whom arrived in the US as refugees before 1995, are currently facing "orders of removal."

The shift in Vietnam's stance is seen as a response to US pressure, which includes the threat of tariffs that could significantly damage Vietnam’s economy, one of the most export-dependent in the world, particularly in trade with the US.

As part of the deal, Vietnam has agreed to process deportation requests within 30 days, a major acceleration from the past, where repatriation efforts were often delayed for months or even years. Tin Thanh Nguyen, a US-based immigration lawyer, revealed that Vietnam has also agreed to issue travel documents for up to 30 Vietnamese nationals currently detained in the US, a move that marks a departure from their previous practice of obstructing deportations.

This change follows direct threats from US officials, including White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes, who emphasized that all countries must take back their citizens or face sanctions.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment, but earlier this month, a spokesperson affirmed the country's commitment to cooperating with the US on repatriation in line with existing agreements.

This diplomatic shift comes as the US has ramped up deportations, with over 37,000 people removed during the first month of President Trump’s second term. While it’s unclear how many Vietnamese nationals have been deported, some have already been sent to Panama.

Vietnam’s willingness to comply with US deportation requests is linked to the broader trade risk it faces. Vietnam has long been at risk of facing tariffs due to its large trade surplus with the US, and a potential global tariff on semiconductors could heavily impact the country, which is a major exporter of chips to the US.