What's happened
As migration through the Darién Gap slows, many migrants are returning home due to increased controls and deportations. The situation has left deportees in Panama without support or clear pathways forward, raising humanitarian concerns.
What's behind the headline?
Current Situation
- The number of migrants passing through Panama has drastically decreased, with a 96% drop in crossings compared to last year.
- Many migrants, like Adriangela Contreras, are now retracing their steps due to heightened border controls and the shutdown of the CBP One app.
Humanitarian Concerns
- Deportees from the U.S. are struggling in Panama, facing language barriers and limited resources.
- Many have been turned away from embassies, leaving them without options for asylum or support.
Political Implications
- The Trump administration's policies have created a complex situation, closing legal pathways to the U.S. while ramping up deportations.
- Advocacy groups warn that these migrants risk being forgotten, as they navigate a precarious existence in a foreign land.
What the papers say
According to Mat Youkee from The Guardian, the Lajas Blancas migrant camp, once bustling with activity, now sees a significant decline in migrants, with many returning home due to increased controls. Contreras expressed her disappointment, stating, "I just want to go home, it’s been a long and difficult journey."
In contrast, reports from The Independent highlight the plight of deportees from Asian nations, like Hayatullah Omagh, who fear being sent back to dangerous situations. Omagh noted, "After this, we don’t know what we’ll do," emphasizing the lack of support they face in Panama.
AP News corroborates these concerns, detailing how many deportees are left without clear pathways forward, with embassies turning them away. The Swiss consulate's response to migrants seeking help illustrates the bureaucratic challenges they encounter, stating they must reach out to other embassies for assistance. This situation underscores the urgent need for humanitarian support and legal pathways for those affected by these policies.
How we got here
In recent months, the U.S. has intensified deportations, particularly affecting migrants from Asia and South America. Panama has become a temporary stop for many, but recent policy changes have complicated their journeys.
Go deeper
- What are the current conditions for migrants in Panama?
- How are deportees being treated in Panama?
- What actions are being taken to support these migrants?
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The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration
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Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a transcontinental country in Central America and South America, bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the south.