Costa Rica will receive deported migrants from US
San Jose, Costa Rica — Costa Rica announced Monday it would receive migrants from other countries who were deported by the United States, following in the footsteps of Panama and Guatemala.
"The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country," the Costa Rican president's office said in a statement, adding that "these are people originating from ... Central Asia and India."
Costa Rica is the third country in Central America to collaborate on repatriating deported migrants from the United States since President Donald Trump assumed office in Washington on Jan. 20.
The first set of deportees will arrive in Costa Rica on Wednesday aboard a commercial flight, according to the statement, whereupon they will be transported to a Temporary Migrant Care Center near the border with Panama.
The statement specified that "the process will be completely financed" by the U.S. government under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration.
Panama and Guatemala had previously agreed to a similar arrangement when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited on a recent tour of Latin America.
Panama received its first repatriation flight with 119 migrants aboard last week, originating from China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere, according to Panamanian officials. None have arrived yet in Guatemala.
Latin America is the original home of most of the United States' estimated 11 million undocumented migrants.
Many had made dangerous journeys, braving treacherous terrain, wild animals and criminal gangs for a chance at a better life.
Trump, however, took a hard line against undocumented migrants during last year's U.S. election campaign, describing some as "monsters" and "animals."
On his first day in office last month, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern U.S. border and vowed to deport "millions and millions" of migrants.
"The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country," the Costa Rican president's office said in a statement, adding that "these are people originating from ... Central Asia and India."
Costa Rica is the third country in Central America to collaborate on repatriating deported migrants from the United States since President Donald Trump assumed office in Washington on Jan. 20.
The first set of deportees will arrive in Costa Rica on Wednesday aboard a commercial flight, according to the statement, whereupon they will be transported to a Temporary Migrant Care Center near the border with Panama.
The statement specified that "the process will be completely financed" by the U.S. government under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration.
Panama and Guatemala had previously agreed to a similar arrangement when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited on a recent tour of Latin America.
Panama received its first repatriation flight with 119 migrants aboard last week, originating from China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere, according to Panamanian officials. None have arrived yet in Guatemala.
Latin America is the original home of most of the United States' estimated 11 million undocumented migrants.
Many had made dangerous journeys, braving treacherous terrain, wild animals and criminal gangs for a chance at a better life.
Trump, however, took a hard line against undocumented migrants during last year's U.S. election campaign, describing some as "monsters" and "animals."
On his first day in office last month, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern U.S. border and vowed to deport "millions and millions" of migrants.