Priyanka Tiwari
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Panama released dozens of migrants who had been detained for weeks in a remote camp after being deported from the United States, granting them 30 days to leave the country, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The release follows weeks of lawsuits and human rights outcry over harsh detention conditions and lack of due process for deportees.
Migrants in Legal Limbo After Release
Among those released is 29-year-old Hayatullah Omagh, an Afghan refugee who fled after the Taliban’s takeover in 2022. Now stranded in Panama, he fears for his safety and has no resources to leave.
“We are refugees. We do not have money. We cannot pay for a hotel in Panama City, and we do not have relatives,” Omagh told the Associated Press.
“I can’t go back to Afghanistan under any circumstances. The Taliban want to kill me.”
While Panamanian authorities say deportees can apply for a 60-day extension, many are uncertain about their next steps.
Panama Detains Migrants as Part of U.S. Deportation Deal
Omagh was among 65 migrants from China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal, and other countries who arrived in Panama City after weeks of detention.
The Panamanian government, working with the Trump administration, has described the move as part of a strategy to “send a signal of deterrence” to migrants hoping to enter the United States.
Human rights groups criticized the agreement, which allows the U.S. to send deported migrants to Panama and Costa Rica as part of an effort to accelerate deportations.
Harsh Detention Conditions Spark International Condemnation
Many of the released migrants described inhumane conditions inside the remote detention camp:
- Scarce food and extreme heat
- Confiscation of phones and restricted access to legal aid
- A hunger strike by a Chinese migrant
- A small riot suppressed by armed guards
Omagh, who had pleaded for asylum in the U.S. but was denied, expressed relief at being freed but frustration over the lack of options.
“My hope was freedom. Just freedom,” he said. “They didn’t even give me a chance. I asked many times to speak to an asylum officer, and they told me, ‘No, no, no, no, no.’”
Migrants Plan to Keep Moving North
With no clear path forward in Panama, many migrants are looking to continue their journey toward the U.S., despite the risk of deportation again.
One Chinese woman, speaking anonymously, expressed determination to reach the United States:
“I still want to continue to go to the United States and fulfill my American dream.”
Panama Denies Asylum Requests, Critics Call It a "Black Hole"
Panama’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Ruiz-Hernandez dismissed concerns that migrants are being trapped in the country.
“None of them want to stay in Panama. They want to go to the U.S.,” he said in an earlier interview.
However, critics warn that Panama and Costa Rica are becoming "black holes" for deportees, where migrants are detained indefinitely, stripped of legal rights, and eventually released with no clear direction.
International aid groups have promised to help deportees relocate to third countries, but for many—like Omagh, who holds an Afghan passport—finding a country willing to grant them visas remains an uphill battle.
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