US Deportees Held in Panama Hotel Await Repatriation Amid Legal and Humanitarian Concerns

Nearly 300 migrants, including over 50 Indians, are confined in Panama City as international authorities work to arrange their return or relocation.

The United States has deported 299 migrants from various countries, including India, Iran, and Afghanistan, to Panama under a controversial agreement with the Panamanian government.
The migrants are being held in a hotel in Panama City, with 171 agreeing to voluntary repatriation while others refuse due to fears of persecution in their home countries.
Panama has denied allegations of detaining the migrants against their will, stating they are under 'temporary custody' for their protection, though they are barred from leaving the hotel.
Some migrants have displayed messages pleading for help from hotel windows, citing unsafe conditions in their countries of origin, while reports indicate at least one suicide attempt and an escape.
Those unwilling to return home may be transferred to a migration facility in the Darién jungle, raising further concerns from human rights groups over their treatment and legal rights.