The United States has rapidly expanded migrant deportation agreements with six Latin American nations since January 2024, creating a regional network for processing asylum seekers. Under these undisclosed arrangements, Mexico now receives deportees from seven countries at US request, while Panama and Costa Rica temporarily host migrants from Central Asia awaiting repatriation.
Recent operations reveal unprecedented strategies:
- Venezuelan migrants transferred from Guantanamo Bay to Honduran airports
- 280+ Asian asylum seekers detained in Panama City hotels
- El Salvador offering prison space for US deportees
They're warehousing people like goods,said WOLA researcher Adam Isacson. This systematic deportation to third countries creates dangerous legal voids.
Human rights advocates warn the deportation partnerships circumvent international refugee protections. Nearly 20% of recent deportees carried ICE documents simply stating Name of new facility: MEXICOwithout legal justification.
Panama's cooperation marks a dramatic reversal – the country that saw 500,000 northbound migrants in 2023 now hosts US deportation flights. Recent images showed detainees displaying HELPsigns from hotel windows before being relocated to jungle camps.
While deportation numbers remain below 4,000, the psychological impact appears significant. Migration patterns show increasing numbers voluntarily boarding southbound boats from Panama to Colombia, rather than risking US border crossings.
Critical questions remain unanswered:
• Which UN agencies oversee repatriations?
• How are deportees from Iran/Afghanistan vetted?
• What safeguards exist for military deserters?
As Mexico receives praise from US officials for model cooperation,President Claudia Sheinbaum faces domestic criticism for reduced transparency. With Congress yet to approve deportation funding, experts warn these Latin American partnerships may set dangerous precedents for global migration management.
