Migrants display 'help' message as Indians amongst 300 deportees from US waiting for return held in Panama hotel
PTC News Desk: Panama has detained nearly 300 deportees from the United States hailing from various countries not allowing them to leave while waiting for international authorities to organise a return to their countries.
The deportees also includes several undocumented individuals from India were sent back as a part of Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigrants. The migrants hailed from 10 mostly Asian countries, including Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and others.
Panaman has been used as a stopover as US is having certain difficulties in deporting directly. Besides Panama, Costa Rica is also likely to receive third-country deportees on Wednesday.
According to the reports, more than 40 per cent of the deportees are not willing to return to their native countries. Migrants in the hotel rooms held messages to the windows reading "Help" and "We are not safe in our country".
Panama's Security Minister Frank Abrego said on Tuesday the migrants are receiving medical attention and food as part of a migration agreement between Panama and the US.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, who is under political pressure due to Trump’s threats to regain control of the Panama Canal, announced last Thursday the arrival of the first deportation flights.
The confinement and uncertain legal status faced by the deportees have sparked concern in the Central American nation, particularly as images surfaced showing migrants looking out from high-floor hotel windows and holding up notes asking for help.
- With inputs from agencies
