Guyana has become the latest "third country" to accept migrants who are deported from the United States, according to a U.S. official speaking with CBS News. The South American nation recently received a small number of Afghan and Cuban individuals who were deported by the Trump administration. Guyana is one of over 30 countries that have signed agreements with the Trump administration to accept deportees who are not citizens of those countries. These agreements allow the U.S. to send non-citizens back to other nations, where they may await decisions on their immigration cases. The Guyanese government explained that those arriving under the "Assisted Voluntary Return Program" will remain in the country while their immigration cases are processed. They may eventually return to their home countries or be relocated elsewhere. The U.N. International Organization for Migration is responsible for managing the program, according to Guyanese authorities, who emphasized that the government will not cover any costs related to housing or support for the deportees. Guyana’s Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, told the Associated Press that six individuals from Cuba and Afghanistan arrived in Guyana after being vetted and found to have no criminal records. He noted that the agreement to host these individuals was reached after months of discussions with the U.S. government. The arrangement is temporary and will last for one year, Persaud said, and does not constitute permanent resettlement. Guyana, which is a founding member of the Caribbean Community—a regional group of 15 nations—is the latest among several member states to accept small groups of U.S. deportees. Other countries that have received such groups include St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, and St. Lucia, which was expected to accept its first group that week. Human rights activists have criticized the practice of sending deportees to third countries as inhumane and in violation of international law. They argue that some countries are returning individuals to places where they fled due to persecution or danger. The Trump administration, however, has defended the policy, claiming it is legal and effective in reducing illegal immigration. The administration has portrayed the deportations as a deterrent to unauthorized entry into the United States.