Indians among 300 US deportees seen pleading for help from Panama Hotel window

Panama is currently hosting nearly 300 individuals deported from the United States, including citizens from Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China. These deportees, sent back under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, are being housed in a hotel where they are receiving medical aid and meals, according to Panama’s Security Minister Frank Abrego. However, they are not permitted to leave the premises as authorities work on their repatriation.

A major hurdle has emerged, as over 40% of these individuals are unwilling to return to their home countries, citing safety concerns. Some have displayed desperate messages from their hotel windows, with signs reading “Help” and “We are not safe in our country.”

Due to logistical challenges in directly deporting individuals to certain nations, the U.S. has been using Panama as a transit point for deportees. Meanwhile, Costa Rica is also set to receive a similar group of third-country deportees soon.

Abrego confirmed that 171 of the 299 deportees have agreed to return home with assistance from the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency. However, 128 individuals remain in limbo as authorities explore options for relocation to third countries. One Irish deportee has already returned home, while those refusing repatriation will be temporarily moved to a facility in Panama’s remote Darién province.

This operation is being fully funded by the U.S., following an agreement between the two nations earlier this month. The deal, announced after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit, positions Panama as a transit hub for deportees. The situation has added political strain on Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, particularly as Trump has issued warnings about reasserting U.S. control over the Panama Canal.

The Panamanian Ombudsman’s Office is expected to release further updates on the ongoing deportation process and potential resolutions for the migrants still in limbo.