High-profile lawyers have initiated a lawsuit against Panama, contesting the treatment of individuals deported from the U.S. during the Trump administration, raising serious human rights concerns.
Lawsuit Filed Against Panama Over Treatment of Trump-Era Deportees
Lawsuit Filed Against Panama Over Treatment of Trump-Era Deportees
Legal Action Challenges Detention of Migrants Deported Under U.S. Policies
In a significant legal move, a prominent group of lawyers has filed a lawsuit against the Panamanian government, alleging mistreatment of migrants who were deported from the United States under policies established during the Trump administration. This lawsuit targets Panama's approach to handling individuals sent to Central American countries, claiming violations of both domestic and international laws.
Filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the lawsuit includes ten Iranian Christian converts along with a larger group of 102 migrants currently held in a camp located in Panama's jungles. The plaintiffs argue that they were unjustly denied their right to asylum due to religious persecution, a violation reportedly facilitated by U.S. immigration policies.
Responding to the legal challenge, Panama's Presidential spokeswoman, Astrid Salazar, asserted that the migrants are not considered formally detained, suggesting that their situation falls under the jurisdiction of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). However, the migrants are housed in a secure camp monitored by armed Panamanian police, contradicting the claim of their non-detention status. Furthermore, representatives from IOM and UNHCR have clarified their limited role, primarily focused on humanitarian assistance without control over the migrants’ conditions.
Filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the lawsuit includes ten Iranian Christian converts along with a larger group of 102 migrants currently held in a camp located in Panama's jungles. The plaintiffs argue that they were unjustly denied their right to asylum due to religious persecution, a violation reportedly facilitated by U.S. immigration policies.
Responding to the legal challenge, Panama's Presidential spokeswoman, Astrid Salazar, asserted that the migrants are not considered formally detained, suggesting that their situation falls under the jurisdiction of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). However, the migrants are housed in a secure camp monitored by armed Panamanian police, contradicting the claim of their non-detention status. Furthermore, representatives from IOM and UNHCR have clarified their limited role, primarily focused on humanitarian assistance without control over the migrants’ conditions.
