Costa Rica to Accept Migrants Deported from the U.S. Amid Policy Shift

This week, Costa Rica will welcome its first group of 200 deported migrants, joining Panama in a controversial new strategy to manage unauthorized immigration, with the U.S. covering repatriation costs.

Costa Rica announced on Monday its decision to accept a flight carrying 200 migrants deported from the United States, marking a significant move as the country becomes the second in Central America to take in individuals from distant countries like Central Asia and India. This decision follows Panama’s recent receipt of multiple deportation flights containing migrants from different parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The Trump administration appears to be shifting its approach to handle unauthorized migrants by seeking cooperation from other nations, facilitating deportation flights instead of detaining these individuals within the U.S. borders. This strategy raises questions about the future of the deportees once they land in their temporary host countries, where arrangements for their final repatriation remain vague.

During a recent visit to Central America, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio secured commitments from various governments, including Costa Rica and Panama, to assist in addressing migration challenges, although specific details were not disclosed. The Costa Rican government stated that the first group of deportees is expected to arrive on a commercial flight on Wednesday afternoon.

Costa Rica emphasized its role as a necessary "bridge" for the migrants' return, noting that the repatriation process will be funded entirely by the U.S. government and monitored by the International Organization for Migration, a U.N. agency tasked with providing support and care for the migrants while in Costa Rica. Panama has outlined a similar system for the migrants it has accepted.

Upon their arrival at the main airport in San José, the deportees will be relocated to a migrant shelter in Corredores, a canton in the southern part of the country. However, Costa Rican officials did not confirm how many migrants the U.S. plans to send overall or the anticipated duration of their stay in Costa Rica before returning to their homelands.

In recent months, the number of migrants traveling through Costa Rica has significantly reduced as the U.S., Mexico, and Panama have tightened their immigration protocols and enforcement measures. Previously, Costa Rica faced challenges accommodating a surge of migrants transitioning through the country towards the U.S. border, often resulting in overcrowded shelters for those who had navigated the perilous Darién Gap.