Costa Rica to Serve as “Bridge” for Deported Illegal Immigrants from US
NEW DELHI, Feb 18: Following in the footsteps of Panama and Guatemala, Costa Rica also announced on Monday it was willing to receive illegal migrants of nationals of other countries including India, being deported from the United States. The Central American nation’s presidential office said in a statement that 200 migrants from central Asia and India would be arriving in a commercial flight from the US on Wednesday.
“The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country,” the Costa Rican president’s office said in a statement, adding that “these are people originating from… Central Asia and India.”
The first set of US deportees will reach Costa Rica on Wednesday aboard a commercial flight, whereupon they will be transported to a Temporary Migrant Care Center near the border with Panama. The migrants will then be moved to the countries of their origin.
“The first group of 200 migrants will arrive at the Juan Santamaria International Airport on a commercial flight on Wednesday. The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country. These are people originating from countries in central Asia and India,” a statement by Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles’ office .said. The release did not say how many of them are from India. “Costa Rica will serve as a bridge for them to reach their countries of origin,” it said.
Costa Rica specified that “the process will be completely financed” by the US government under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Costa Rica is the third country in Central America to collaborate on repatriating deported migrants from the United States since President Donald Trump assumed office in Washington on January 20. Panama and Guatemala had previously agreed to a similar arrangement when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited on a recent tour of Latin America.
Panama received its first repatriation flight with 119 migrants aboard last week, originating from China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere, according to Panamanian officials. None have arrived in Guatemala yet.
Latin America is the original home of most of the United States’ estimated 11 million undocumented migrants. Many had made dangerous journeys, braving treacherous terrain, wild animals and criminal gangs for a chance at a better life.
Trump, however, took a hard line against undocumented migrants during last year’s US election campaign, describing some as “monsters” and “animals.” On his first day in office last month, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern US border and vowed to deport “millions and millions” of migrants.
The U.S.-funded repatriation is being supervised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which will oversee the migrants’ care during their stay in the country. Three batches comprising a total of 332 Indians have already been sent back to India amid an intensified crackdown by the Trump administration against illegal immigrants.
(Manas Dasgupta)
