Migrants Deported by US Face Isolation and Uncertainty in Panama Holding Sites

Hundreds of migrants from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are detained in Panama under restrictive conditions as legal and humanitarian concerns mount.

Nearly 300 migrants deported from the US, including individuals from Iran, India, and Vietnam, are being held in Panama under an agreement between the two governments.
Migrants were initially confined in a hotel with limited access to legal counsel and contact with the outside world, raising questions about their rights and treatment.
Some migrants have since been transferred to a remote camp in the Darién Jungle, where conditions are reportedly harsh, with limited access to essentials like medication and communication tools.
Lawyers and advocates argue that many of the migrants are fleeing persecution and may have valid asylum claims, but they face barriers to filing these claims in Panama.
Panama and Costa Rica, acting as 'bridge' countries under US pressure, are struggling to manage the influx, leaving the migrants in legal limbo without clear plans for their future.