MEXICO CITY — A U.S. flight transporting 135 deportees, including a significant number of minors, is scheduled to arrive in Costa Rica on Thursday. This marks the second Latin American nation being used as a transit point as the administration intensifies its deportation efforts.
Upon their arrival, the deportees will be transported by bus from the capital to a rural holding center located near the Panama border. Here, they may remain for up to 30 days while awaiting flights back to their countries of origin, as explained by Omer Badilla, the Deputy Minister of the Interior and Police in Costa Rica. The expenses related to this process will be covered by the U.S. government.
This initiative stems from a recent agreement made between Costa Rica and the U.S. during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit earlier this month. Although similar arrangements have been established with several other Latin American countries, the practice of utilizing third nations as layover points for deportation has faced considerable backlash from human rights groups.
Concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of these deportees in Costa Rica, particularly with respect to the international protections available for asylum seekers. Critics are questioning whether proper screenings will be conducted to ensure safe returns to their home countries or a transfer to alternative locations.
Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves commented that the country is assisting its “economically powerful brother from the north,” in light of Trump’s administration pressuring regional nations to facilitate deportation processes, sometimes issuing warnings about potential tariffs or sanctions.
Earlier this week, Panama became the first nation to receive 299 deportees, with many being held in hotel accommodations under police supervision. A significant portion of those refusing to leave voluntarily were reportedly sent to a remote camp in the Darien province, close to the Colombian border. Others awaited flights back home.
On Tuesday, some detainees in the hotel displayed messages such as “please help us” and “we are not safe in our country” on their windows.
To avoid similar situations in Costa Rica, Badilla emphasized that accommodations of that nature had been dismissed. The deportation flight from San Diego is expected to largely consist of families, among whom are 65 children and two pregnant women. According to Badilla, the Trump administration indicated that most of the individuals have agreed to return voluntarily.
Should any refuse to comply, Costa Rica is willing to provide refuge or collaborate with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to help transfer them to other safe countries.
“Costa Rica is committed to protecting human rights,” Badilla stated. “We will ensure that they are returned to secure environments. This is a matter of ethical and moral duty for our nation.”
Meanwhile, the migrants will remain at the border facility, where they will have support from U.N. representatives, the Red Cross, and other aid organizations to safeguard their rights.
The holding location, which has previously been criticized for its conditions, was a former factory. During an October 2023 visit, migrants described their living conditions as cramped, feeling more like prisoners, with some forced to sleep in tents and experiencing sanitation issues. Although Badilla claimed improvements have been made, journalists have been barred from accessing the facility.
The IOM clarified in a statement that it does not directly manage the detention or movement restrictions of these individuals but is providing humanitarian assistance and supporting voluntary returns while also exploring safe options for others.
“We are dedicated to ensuring that all migrants are treated with dignity and in line with international standards,” the agency affirmed.
