Around 300 migrants from various countries, including India, detained in Panama City

Around 300 migrants from various countries, including India, detained in Panama City

“More than 40% of migrants are unwilling to return to their home countries voluntarily. Migrants staying in hotel rooms have written on stickers and pasted them on the doors, saying, ‘We couldn’t save ourselves in our own country’.”
— Panama’s Minister of Public Security, Frank Alexis Abrego

Panama City: Around 300 people from various countries, including India, who were deported under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, have been detained in a hotel in Panama City. International authorities have arranged for the migrants to stay in the hotel until they can make arrangements for them to return to their home countries.

More than 40% of the migrants are unwilling to return voluntarily. The migrants, who were staying in hotel rooms, have written messages on stickers and pasted them on their doors, stating, “We couldn’t save ourselves in our own country.”

The migrants mostly came from 10 Asian countries, including Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China, after attempting to enter the U.S. illegally.

Since it is difficult for the U.S. to deport them directly to some countries, Panama City is being used as a transit point. Today, a plane with migrants heading to Costa Rica is also expected to land.

Panama’s Minister of Public Security, Frank Alexis Abrego, stated that as part of the immigration agreement between Panama and the U.S., the migrants are being provided with medical care and food.

The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, who is facing political pressure over threats from Trump regarding the control of the Panama Canal, reported that the first flight with deported migrants arrived last Thursday.

The detention and legal restrictions faced by those deported have increased tensions in Central America. Migrants have been seen climbing out of their hotel room windows, seeking help from higher floors.

Among the 299 deported individuals, 171 migrants have voluntarily agreed to return to their countries with the help of the International Migration Organization (IMO) and the UN Refugee Agency, as reported by Abrego.

UN agencies are still in discussions with the remaining 128 migrants to help them find destinations in third countries. Abrego also mentioned that one Irish citizen who was deported has already returned to their home country.

Those unwilling to return to their home countries are being temporarily housed at a facility in the remote Darien province. This is a route through which tens of thousands of migrants have traveled northward in recent years, according to Abrego.

3rd US flight lands with deportees in Amritsar

– 112 ‘illegal’ Indians return from US, 19 women, 14 minors among them
– So far total of 332 indians deported

Times Network’s Manoj Kumar shares more details | @nivedhanaprabhu pic.twitter.com/as0XrcDuwD

— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) February 17, 2025

Panama’s Ombudsman office is expected to provide more details about the situation of the deported individuals.

Read More;India is also one of the countries that imposes the highest taxes in the world: Donald Trump