Panama Detains Nearly 300 Deportees, Including Indians, as US Deportation Continues
The detentions follow a migration agreement signed this month between Panama and the US.
Panama City, US Deportation Latest News: Nearly 300 migrants from ten primarily Asian countries, including India, Iran, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China, are currently being detained in a hotel in Panama City, following a deportation deal between Panama and the United States.
According to sources, around 30 Indians are among those housed in Decapolis Hotel Panama, where they remain confined to their rooms under guard. While the deportees are being provided food and medical care, they are not allowed to leave the premises as authorities work on their repatriation or relocation to third countries.
India’s Response and Verification Process
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that the government is firmly opposed to illegal migration, particularly due to its links with organized crime. Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that the Indian government must verify the nationality of detained individuals before repatriation.
Panama’s Plan for the Migrants
Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino has announced that those unable or unwilling to return home may be relocated to a migrant camp at Darién Gap, a remote jungle area used previously for migrants heading to the US. Security Minister Frank Abrego clarified that the migrants are not detained in a conventional sense but are temporarily housed as repatriation plans are finalized.
So far, 171 out of 299 deportees have agreed to voluntary return with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Refugee Agency. Efforts continue to secure destinations for the remaining 128 individuals.
US-Panama Migration Agreement
The detentions follow a migration agreement signed this month between Panama and the US, making Panama a transit hub for deportees while the US covers all associated costs.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica is expected to receive a similar group of deportees, and the Panamanian Ombudsman’s Office is set to release further details regarding legal challenges faced by the migrants.
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