India Reacts After US-Deported Migrants Appeal for Help in Panama
India is working closely with Panamanian authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian migrants deported by the United States to Panama.
New Delhi: India is working closely with Panamanian authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian migrants deported by the United States to Panama. The Indian Embassy in Panama confirmed that the migrants are safe and being provided with essential facilities at a hotel where they are currently housed.
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Indian Embassy Secures Consular Access
In a statement on X, the Indian Embassy in Panama assured that the deported individuals were secure and receiving necessary assistance.
“Panamanian authorities have informed us that a group of Indians have reached Panama from the US. 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,” the embassy said.
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Reports of Migrants Seeking Help
The statement followed reports that nearly 300 deportees from various countries—including Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China—had been confined in a hotel in Panama. Some deported individuals reportedly displayed distress messages on their hotel room windows, stating “We are not safe in our country,” indicating concerns about their fate upon return.
Panama Denies Forced Detention
Panama’s Security Minister, Frank Abrego, refuted claims that migrants were being held against their will. He clarified that the deportees were receiving food and medical care at the hotel under a migration agreement between the US and Panama. However, they are restricted from leaving until international authorities arrange their return to their home countries.
US Uses Panama as a Transit Hub for Deportees
Due to challenges in deporting migrants directly to certain nations, the US has been utilizing Panama as a transit country for deportations. Costa Rica is also expected to receive a similar flight of third-country deportees soon.
Former US President Donald Trump had taken a stringent stance on undocumented migration, referring to some migrants as “monsters” and “animals” during his election campaign. Upon assuming office last month, he declared a national emergency at the southern border and pledged mass deportations.
