PANAMA CITY (AP) — Panama released dozens of migrants on Saturday who had been detained for weeks after being deported from the United States. Authorities gave them 30 days to leave the country, leaving many in limbo.
Among those released was Hayatullah Omagh, a 29-year-old Afghan refugee who fled the Taliban in 2022. “I can’t go back to Afghanistan… It is under the control of the Taliban, and they want to kill me,” he said.
The migrants, from countries including China, Russia, and Pakistan, were held in a remote camp under poor conditions before being sent to Panama City. Human rights groups scrambled to assist them upon their release. Some, like 27-year-old Nikita Gaponov from Russia, fled due to political persecution and faced homelessness after being freed.
The deportations were part of an agreement between the Trump administration and Panama and Costa Rica to speed up deportations, sparking criticism from human rights advocates. Many deportees, unable to seek asylum, were left in legal limbo.
While Panamanian authorities offered an extension of stay for up to 60 days, many migrants, like Omagh, had no clear options. Some were told they could be sent to third countries, but few nations are open to Afghan refugees.
Panama’s deputy foreign minister acknowledged many migrants wanted to reach the U.S. instead of staying in Panama, with one woman stating, “I still want to continue to go to the United States and fulfill my American dream.”
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