Kathmandu: Nearly 300 deported migrants from various countries are being held in a hotel in Panama under a U.S. deportation policy, awaiting arrangements for their return, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Panama’s Security Minister Frank Abrego stated on Tuesday that the migrants are receiving medical attention and food as part of an agreement between Panama and the U.S. The Panamanian government has agreed to serve as a transit country for deportees while the U.S. covers the operational costs. The agreement was finalized following a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this month.
The detained migrants, originating from 10 mostly Asian countries, including Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China, were unable to be deported directly by the U.S., leading to their transfer to Panama. Costa Rica is also expected to receive a similar flight of third-country deportees this week.
The situation has raised concerns in Panama, especially after images surfaced of migrants displaying messages such as “Help” and “We are not safe in our country” from their hotel windows. More than 40% of the migrants reportedly refuse to return voluntarily, AP reported.
Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, facing political pressure over Trump’s threats regarding control of the Panama Canal, announced the arrival of the first deportation flight last Thursday. Authorities insist that the migrants are not being detained, despite being unable to leave their guarded hotel rooms.
Abrego said that 171 of the 299 deportees have agreed to return to their home countries with assistance from the International Organization for Migration and the U.N. Refugee Agency. Talks are ongoing to find a third-country destination for the remaining 128 migrants. One deported Irish citizen has already returned home.
For those unwilling to return, Panamanian authorities plan to transfer them to a facility in the remote Darien province, a well-known migrant route to the U.S. The Panamanian Ombudsman’s Office is expected to provide further updates on the situation.
Source: AP