Panama published dozens of migrants on Saturday for weeks in a remote camp after they were deported from the United States, and were given 30 days to leave the Central American nation.
Deportes, to a large extent of Asian countries, were part of a The treatment occurred between the Trump and Panama and Costa Rica administration Last month, while the United States government is trying to accelerate deportations. The agreement represented a significant diplomatic victory for President Trump and his repression of government on illegal immigration.
The Trump administration sent hundreds of people, many families with children, to the two countries in Central America as a stop while authorities organize a way to send them to their countries of origin.
Matias Delacroix / AP
The arrival of the deportees encountered weeks of demands and criticism of human rights for poor conditions by the Panama government, which he said he wants to work with the Trump administration « to send a signal of deterrent » to those who expect to migrate.
Critics described it as a way for the United States to export their deportation process.
The agreement pushed for worries about human rights when hundreds of deportees deported to a hotel in the city of Panama contained notes on their windows that were asking for help and saying that they were afraid to return to their own countries. Those who refused to return home were later sent to a remote camp near the Panama border with Colombia, where they spent weeks in poor conditions, naked of their phones, unable to access a legal lawyer and were not told where they went.
According to international refugee law, people have the right to apply for asylum when they flee from the conflict or persecution.
He pushed many such as Hawatullah Omagh, a 29 -year -old who fled from Afghanistan in 2022 after the Taliban was controlled, in a legal limbo, stirring to find a way forward.
« We are refugees. We have no money. We cannot pay a hotel in the city of Panama, we have no relatives, » Omagh told The Associated Press in an interview. « I can’t return to Afghanistan in any circumstance … is under the control of the Taliban and they want to kill -me. How can I return? »
Matias Delacroix / AP
Authorities have said that the deportees will have the option to expand their stay in 60 days if they need it, but after that, many like Omagh do not know what they will do.
Omagh got on a bus to Panama city with 65 migrants from China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and other nations after spending weeks detained in poor conditions by the Panama government, which he said he wants to work with the Trump administration « to send a signal of detection to people waiting to migrate.
The human rights groups and lawyers were waiting for migrants, waiting for the bus terminal and moved to find the released migrants refuge and other resources. Dozens of other people remained in the camp.
Among those who came down from buses were migrants fleeing violence and repression in Pakistan and Iran, and Nikita Gaponov, 27, who fled Russia due to repression to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, and said that he was detained on the United States border, but did not allow asylum claim.
« Once I get off the bus, I’ll sleep on the ground tonight, » Gaponov said.
Others turned their eyes to the north, saying that although they had already been deported, they had no choice but to continue after crossing the world to reach the United States
Human rights lawyers and proponents warned that Panama and Costa Rica became « black holes » for deportees, and said that their release was a way for the Panama authorities to wash -the hands of the deportees in the midst of human rights criticism.
Those who were released on Saturday night, like Omagh, said they couldn’t return home.
As an atheist and member of a group of ethnic minorities in Afghanistan known as Hazara, he said that he returned home under the Taliban rule – which was dragged into power after the Biden administration left the country – would mean he would be killed. He only went to the United States after trying for years to live in Pakistan, Iran and other countries, but they were refused.
Matias Delacroix / AP
Omagh was deported after submitting to the North -American authorities and asking to seek asylum in the United States, which was refused.
« My hope was freedom. Only freedom, » he said. « I was not given the opportunity. I many times asked to talk to an asylum officer and they said » no, no, no, no. « »
Panama authorities denied allegations of camp conditions, but journalists blocked access to the camp and canceled a press visit scheduled last week.
Although international aid organizations said they would organize travel to a third country for people who did not want to return home, Panama authorities said that released people had already rejected help.
Omagh said he was told to the camp that he could be sent to a third country if he gives the people of Afghanistan visas. He said it would be incredibly difficult because few nations open the door to people with an Afghan passport.
He said he asked the authorities at the camp several times if he could look for asylum in Panama and said he was told that « we do not accept asylum. »
« None of them want to stay in Panama. They want to go to the United States, » said Carlos Ruiz-Hernandez, Vice-Foreign Minister of Panama, in an interview with the AP last month.
This was the case with some, as a Chinese woman who spoke to the AP as anonymous, fearing the repercussions of the Panama authorities.
When getting off the bus, the first thing I wanted to do was find a Coca-Cola. Then I would find a way back to the United States
« I still want to continue going to the United States and fulfilling my American dream, » he said.
Panama’s desire to accept deportees also took place, as Mr. Trump has expressed interest in resuming the strategically important Panama Channel control, which the United States gave to Panama in 1999. Panama leaders have rejected the idea directly and disputed the statements of Mr. Trump and North -American officials on China’s influence on channel operations.
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