Indian authorities have begun the process of verifying the nationality of around 50 people believed to be Indian citizens who were among 299 migrants recently deported by the United States to Panama. According to officials familiar with the matter, once their nationality is confirmed, emergency certificates will be issued to facilitate their return to India.
The Indian embassy in Panama confirmed that the group of Indians is “safe and secure” at a hotel in Panama City. “Panamanian authorities have informed us that a group of Indians have reached Panama from the US,” the embassy said in a post on X. “They are safe and secure at a hotel with all essential facilities. The embassy team has obtained consular access. We are working closely with the host government to ensure their well-being.”
US Deportation Policies and Central American Involvement
Panama and Costa Rica are among the Central American nations collaborating with the US to repatriate undocumented migrants. The US has been deporting migrants from various Asian countries, particularly those who have refused to return home or whose governments have not accepted them.
The deported individuals are currently staying at the Decapolis Hotel in Panama City, which has become a “temporary custody” center for migrants sent back from the US. According to reports, 97 migrants from the hotel were recently relocated to a camp in the Darien jungle region in southern Panama. However, sources have confirmed that the presumed Indian migrants were not among them. “The individuals believed to be Indians are all safe and not in any distress. Once their nationality is verified, the US will make arrangements for their repatriation,” a source stated.
Panama’s Handling of Deportees
Panama’s security ministry reported that of the 299 deported migrants, 13 have already been repatriated to their home countries, while 175 remain in the Panama City hotel awaiting onward travel. Panamanian public security minister Frank Ábrego stated that migrants unwilling to return to their home countries must choose a third country for relocation. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are responsible for their repatriation.
Armed personnel from Panama’s National Aeronaval Service have been deployed at the hotel to prevent the migrants from leaving. Images circulating on social media depict deportees waving from hotel windows and holding up signs that read “Help us.” The Panamanian government has clarified that the migrants are under local authorities’ protection, with financial support from the US through the IOM and the UNHCR.
Increasing US Deportations of Indian Migrants
The deported individuals include people from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino agreed to temporarily receive these non-Panamanian deportees from the US as part of the ongoing repatriation efforts.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica announced that it would receive 200 migrants from India and Central Asia who were deported from the US. However, there have been no further updates on their situation.
The US has ramped up deportations of Indian migrants in recent months, sending a total of 332 individuals back to India on three military flights since February 5. Following the first flight carrying 104 deportees, officials stated that nearly 600 more undocumented Indian migrants were set to be removed from the US.
The deportation of migrants to Central American nations represents a new phase in the US government’s efforts to handle undocumented immigration. However, human rights organizations have raised concerns over the treatment of these deportees, criticizing the process as inhumane.
Sources By Agencies
