Costa Rica to Accept US-Deported Migrants from Central Asia and India

San Jose, Costa Rica — Costa Rica announced Monday that it will accept migrants from various countries who have been deported by the United States. This decision follows similar agreements made by Panama and Guatemala. According to a statement from the Costa Rican president’s office, the government has committed to collaborating with the U.S. in the repatriation of 200 undocumented immigrants, specifically those originating from Central Asia and India.

The first group of deportees is scheduled to arrive in Costa Rica on Wednesday aboard a commercial flight. Following their arrival, they will be relocated to a Temporary Migrant Care Center located near the border with Panama.

The statement confirmed that the repatriation process will be fully funded by the U.S. government and will be conducted under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

This agreement comes on the heels of a recent tour in Latin America by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had previously secured similar arrangements with Panama and Guatemala. Panama recently received its first flight of deportees, which included 119 migrants from countries such as China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. However, reports indicate that no deportees have yet arrived in Guatemala.

According to statistics, Latin America serves as the original home for a significant portion of the approximately 11 million undocumented migrants in the U.S. Many of these individuals undertake perilous journeys, confronting treacherous landscapes, dangerous wildlife, and criminal gangs in pursuit of better opportunities.

In a tough stance on immigration, President Donald Trump has labeled some undocumented migrants as “monsters” and “animals” during his political campaign. On his first day in office last month, he declared a national emergency at the southern border and pledged to deport “millions and millions” of undocumented immigrants.

In prior incidents, the U.S. had deported over 300 Indian nationals on military flights, leading to public outrage in India. Despite this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has indicated his support for Trump’s immigration policies, agreeing to take back numerous undocumented migrants living in the U.S.

As Costa Rica prepares to act as a transit point for these deported individuals, the government emphasizes its role in facilitating the return of migrants to their countries of origin.