Migrants from various countries, including Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, and China, who were deported from the United States, are now facing an uncertain future in Panama. Stranded and desperate, these individuals have been making their way from one embassy to another, seeking asylum wherever they might find acceptance.
Despite previously being the focus of international attention, these deportees are increasingly anxious as they lack legal and humanitarian support. With no guidance on what their next steps should be, many fear they have been abandoned. One such individual, 29-year-old Hayatullah Omagh, fled Afghanistan in 2022 following the Taliban’s rise to power and now finds himself in this precarious situation.
In February, the U.S. deported nearly 300 migrants, mainly from Asian countries, to Panama. This was part of an expedited deportation effort by the Trump administration, using Panama as a transit point for sending migrants back to their home countries which the U.S. had difficulty deporting directly. Some migrants opted for voluntary return from Panama, but others, fearing persecution, were taken to a remote camp in the Darien jungle.
Released earlier this month, these migrants have been given a month to leave Panama. However, without financial resources, knowledge of the country, or Spanish language skills, their situation is dire. Trying to find refuge, about a dozen migrants recently visited various embassies in Panama City, hoping to begin the asylum process in countries like Canada, Britain, Switzerland, and Australia. Unfortunately, they faced rejections or were asked to make contact via phone or email, often receiving automated replies.
Omagh shared his plight through email, pleading for protection, “please don’t let me be sent back to Afghanistan, a place where there is no way for me to survive.” Yet, embassies cited jurisdictional limitations in offering visa or refugee services. The Swiss consulate even directed the group to its embassy in Costa Rica.
Left in a state of limbo, many migrants expressed a willingness to seek asylum in Panama. However, both Panamanian authorities and international aid groups indicated that receiving asylum there is highly improbable. Álvaro Botero, representing these migrants at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, emphasized the importance of not neglecting these individuals, who found themselves inadvertently in Panama.
The Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies, including border closure, accelerated deportations, and cessation of refugee programs, have amplified the struggles of these migrants. Recently, a wave of deportations sent over 200 Venezuelan migrants to a gang-controlled prison in El Salvador, accused without evidence.
As the migrants explored their options, they approached the U.N.’s refugee agency in Panama. Omagh shared that the agency was unable to assist in seeking asylum in other nations due to Panama’s restrictions. Instead, they were informed of the possibility to start the asylum process in Panama, though success seems unlikely. A similar sentiment was echoed by Filippo Grandi of the U.N. refugee agency, who urged nations to maintain their commitments to displaced individuals, criticizing the U.S. aid cuts as detrimental.
Despite these setbacks, the deportees continue to grapple with their precarious situation. Omagh, citing persecution by the Taliban due to his atheism and Hazara ethnicity, fears for his life should he return to Afghanistan. His journey to the U.S. came after multiple failed attempts to secure visas in Pakistan, Iran, and other nations. Fellow deportee, Russian Aleksandr Surgin, fled his country due to opposition to the Ukrainian conflict, leaving him at risk of imprisonment or conscription.
With their future uncertain, these migrants expressed a sense of desolation, with little hope for immediate resolution or protection.
