Migrants Moved to Darien Province Amid Deportation Efforts
In recent developments, Panama has relocated a significant number of deportees from various countries, initially received from the United States, to a camp in its Darien province. This region has become a crucial passage for migrants journeying from South America to the U.S. border, according to security officials.
The transfer involved approximately one-third of a group of 299 migrants sent to Panama by the U.S. government, as the Trump administration intensifies its deportation initiatives. Panama’s Security Ministry disclosed that 97 migrants were moved to the Darien province camp, with eight more transfers anticipated shortly. Meanwhile, 13 individuals have opted for voluntary repatriation.
The migrants relocated to Darien had resisted voluntary return to their home countries. They will remain there until alternative countries are found to accept them, as stated by a Panamanian official who wished to remain anonymous due to the lack of authorization to speak publicly.
Currently, the remaining deportees are being held under police supervision at a hotel in Panama City, pending travel arrangements. Although the Panamanian government denies their detention, the migrants are under guard and restricted from leaving the premises.
Earlier on Wednesday, Panama’s National Immigration Service reported a temporary escape of a Chinese woman from the hotel. She was later recaptured near a migrant processing center close to the Panama-Costa Rica border, a common route for migrants heading to the U.S. Security Minister Frank Abrego attributed her brief escape to “human traffickers.”
The deportees, predominantly from Asian nations, find themselves in a precarious situation in Panama, which has agreed to act as a transit hub for migrants challenging to deport directly by the Trump administration. Minister Abrego mentioned that 171 migrants had consented to return to their countries, though no timeline was provided. An Irish national has already been repatriated.
The unresolved cases will be transferred to a temporary migration facility near the Darien Gap, a dense forested area along the Colombian border. This region has historically served as a pathway for migrants from Venezuela and other countries traveling northwards.
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This article was originally written by www.npr.org
