QUITO, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States deported 3,977 irregular Ecuadorian migrants in the first half of 2025, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The figure includes 38 Ecuadorians who arrived Monday in the southwestern coastal city of Guayaquil on a U.S. military flight. The U.S. Embassy confirmed the deportation on social media, stating that it is enforcing the U.S. immigration laws and deporting illegal entrants.

According to the ministry, 3,939 Ecuadorians were expelled via 46 flights by June 30, excluding the latest arrivals. From 2019 to 2025, the United States deported 51,107 Ecuadorians on 451 flights, with military flights being used since Jan. 28, 2025.

In response, the Ecuadorian government is offering returnees a monthly stipend of 470 U.S. dollars -- equivalent to the national minimum wage -- for up to three months. Additional support includes job training, educational opportunities and scholarship programs to aid reintegration. Enditem