MEXICO CITY — A flight from the United States carrying 135 individuals, including a significant number of minors, is scheduled to arrive in Costa Rica on Thursday. This marks the second Latin American country to serve as a transit point for deportees amid the increased deportation efforts under the Trump administration.
Upon landing, the deportees will be transported from the capital city of Costa Rica to a rural holding facility located near the Panama border. Here, they will stay for a period of up to 30 days while arrangements are made for their return flights to their respective home countries, as outlined by Omer Badilla, the deputy minister of the interior and police in Costa Rica. The U.S. government will be responsible for covering all associated costs.
This operation is part of an agreement made between Costa Rica and the Trump administration during a recent visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Similar arrangements have been established with other Latin American nations; however, the idea of designating third countries as locations for deportation layovers has sparked considerable backlash from human rights organizations.
Concerns surrounding the treatment of these deportees highlight not just the conditions of their detention in Costa Rica but also the broader implications for international protections available to asylum seekers. Questions have been raised about whether those being deported will undergo adequate screening prior to being sent back home or potentially relocated to yet another country.
President Rodrigo Chaves of Costa Rica remarked that his nation is assisting its “economically powerful brother from the north,” alluding to the pressure exerted by Trump on various countries in the region to assist in facilitating deportations, often coupled with threats of heavy tariffs or sanctions.
Recently, Panama accepted its first group of 299 deportees from various nations, placing them in hotel accommodations that are monitored by police. A portion of those who declined to return voluntarily found themselves relocated to a remote camp in the Darien province, which borders Colombia. The remaining individuals awaited flights back to their countries.
Reports emerged that some of the detained individuals displayed signs from their hotel rooms pleading for assistance and expressing fears for their safety. In response to these reports, Badilla emphasized that Costa Rica has ruled out hotel detentions to avoid circumstances similar to those in Panama.
Badilla further noted that the flight from San Diego primarily consists of families, including 65 children and two pregnant women. He stated that the Trump administration informed Costa Rica that most of these deportees had agreed to return voluntarily to their home countries.
Should any deportees refuse to leave, Costa Rica is prepared to offer refuge or will collaborate with the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist in relocation to a third country.
“Costa Rica is dedicated to upholding human rights,” Badilla asserted. “We will ensure they are returned to safe environments. We are committed to this not just as a legal obligation but from an ethical standpoint.”
During their time in the holding facility, deportees will be monitored by representatives from the United Nations, the Red Cross, and other humanitarian agencies, as stated by Badilla, to ensure their rights are preserved.
The facility designated for migrant detention, a converted factory, has faced scrutiny over the living conditions it previously offered. An earlier visit by reporters found detainees confined to cramped spaces and living under unsatisfactory conditions, with some describing it as prison-like. While Badilla claimed improvements have been made, the government has restricted journalistic access to the migrant holding area.
In a statement, the IOM expressed that it is not directly involved in the detention processes but is focused on providing humanitarian aid and facilitating voluntary returns to the countries of origin while working to identify safe alternatives for others. The agency emphasized its commitment to ensuring that all migrants are treated with respect and in line with international standards.
