Costa Rica has agreed to accept a group of 200 undocumented migrants from India and Central Asia who are being deported by the United States, the government announced on Monday. The first group is expected to arrive in the capital, San José, on a commercial flight on Wednesday.
“Costa Rica will serve as a bridge to help them reach their countries of origin,” the statement from the president’s office said. The migrants will be housed in designated centres until arrangements are made for their repatriation. The initiative is part of a broader agreement with the United States to manage deportations of foreign nationals through third countries.
This development follows similar agreements made by the US with Panama and Guatemala. The arrangement allows the US to demonstrate to its domestic audience that it is cracking down on illegal immigration while ensuring deportees remain in designated facilities until their home countries verify their identities.
The verification process could take months in some cases, meaning many deportees will spend an extended period in Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala before being sent back to their countries of origin.
The agreement marks a shift in US deportation policy. Previously, the US had directly deported Indian nationals, including over 300 individuals who were sent back on three military flights. Images of deportees in handcuffs sparked public outcry in India.
The deportation efforts come amid a broader immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. Since February 5, the US has deported at least 335 Indian nationals. According to a 2022 US Department of Homeland Security report, an estimated 220,000 undocumented Indian migrants were living in the country. Over 1,100 Indians were deported in the 12 months leading up to October 2024.
The repatriation process, funded by the US, will be supervised by the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which will oversee the migrants’ care during their stay in Costa Rica. No official details have been provided regarding how many of the 200 deportees in the first batch will be Indian nationals.
While no migrants have yet arrived in Guatemala, Panama received 119 deportees last week, including individuals from China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The cooperation between the US and Latin American nations reflects a strategic shift in US deportation logistics, using intermediary countries as holding zones before final repatriation.
The policy is expected to raise concerns about the treatment and rights of deportees, particularly given the lengthy verification process. Human rights organisations have previously criticised such arrangements, warning of the uncertain and often difficult conditions faced by migrants awaiting repatriation.
