SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica — Costa Rica has received a group of deported migrants, including Afghan asylum seekers, as part of an agreement with the United States, officials said Thursday.
The move is part of a broader crackdown on undocumented migration by U.S. President Donald Trump, which has included increased deportation flights to countries willing to accept multinational migrants expelled from the U.S..
The migrants, deported from San Diego, California, were flown to San José, Costa Rica’s capital, before being transported by bus to a migrant shelter near the Panama border.
Under the agreement with Washington, Costa Rica has agreed to temporarily accept up to 200 deported migrants from various countries.
Deportation or Voluntary Return?
Costa Rican officials say the migrants are allowed to stay in the country for up to one month, during which authorities will coordinate voluntary returns to their home countries.
“Most of them wish to return home,” said Omar Badilla, Costa Rica’s deputy security minister, speaking at San José airport. He added that cases of migrants unwilling to return would be reviewed individually.
The group consists entirely of families from Uzbekistan, China, Armenia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Russia, Georgia, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and Ghana.
