Asian Migrants Escape from Costa Rican Shelter Amid U.S. Deportation Efforts
Six deported migrants escape a shelter in Costa Rica, raising concerns over their treatment and safety.
Six Asian migrants, including three Afghans, two Indians, and one Pakistani, have escaped from a shelter in Costa Rica where they were being held under U.S. deportation orders.
The revelation came from Costa Rica's Migration Directorate on Monday, following the group’s deportation from the United States earlier this year.
The migrants formed part of a larger group of 200 individuals expelled by the former Trump administration in February, who were subsequently admitted to the Temporary Migrants Reception Center (Catem) situated near the Panama border.
Migration Director Omer Badilla confirmed the incident, stating that the escape occurred 'a couple of weeks ago' and that authorities are currently unaware of the escapees' whereabouts.
He noted that these individuals lacked official documentation, prompting migration police to issue an alert to locate them within the national territory with the aim of returning them to the Catem facility.
Initially intended to remain in the shelter while awaiting repatriation or relocation to other nations, the treatment of these migrants has drawn criticism from Costa Rica’s Ombudsman’s Office.
An Afghan woman recently spoke out from within the confines of Catem, expressing her fears of returning to Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
She articulated her aspirations for a life where she could pursue education and personal freedoms, underscoring the dire circumstances that necessitated her escape.
In parallel with these events, the Trump administration deported approximately 300 individuals, predominantly from Asian backgrounds, to Panama and sent 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador.
The Venezuelans ended up in a maximum-security prison, accused of ties to the criminal gang Tren de Aragua, despite the absence of substantial evidence against them.
Further highlighting ongoing U.S. deportation policies, another 17 individuals identified as 'violent criminals' from Venezuela and El Salvador were shipped back to El Salvador on Monday.
The revelation came from Costa Rica's Migration Directorate on Monday, following the group’s deportation from the United States earlier this year.
The migrants formed part of a larger group of 200 individuals expelled by the former Trump administration in February, who were subsequently admitted to the Temporary Migrants Reception Center (Catem) situated near the Panama border.
Migration Director Omer Badilla confirmed the incident, stating that the escape occurred 'a couple of weeks ago' and that authorities are currently unaware of the escapees' whereabouts.
He noted that these individuals lacked official documentation, prompting migration police to issue an alert to locate them within the national territory with the aim of returning them to the Catem facility.
Initially intended to remain in the shelter while awaiting repatriation or relocation to other nations, the treatment of these migrants has drawn criticism from Costa Rica’s Ombudsman’s Office.
An Afghan woman recently spoke out from within the confines of Catem, expressing her fears of returning to Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
She articulated her aspirations for a life where she could pursue education and personal freedoms, underscoring the dire circumstances that necessitated her escape.
In parallel with these events, the Trump administration deported approximately 300 individuals, predominantly from Asian backgrounds, to Panama and sent 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador.
The Venezuelans ended up in a maximum-security prison, accused of ties to the criminal gang Tren de Aragua, despite the absence of substantial evidence against them.
Further highlighting ongoing U.S. deportation policies, another 17 individuals identified as 'violent criminals' from Venezuela and El Salvador were shipped back to El Salvador on Monday.
