US Deportation: 119 Migrants from Multiple Countries Sent Back to Panama

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Panama has welcomed its first flight from the United States carrying deportees from various countries, following the Trump administration’s acceptance of Panama’s proposal to serve as a transit point for expelled migrants, President José Raúl Mulino announced on Thursday.

During his weekly press conference, Mulino shared, “A U.S. Air Force flight arrived yesterday with 119 individuals hailing from a range of nations.” The passengers included migrants from countries such as China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

This flight marks the initial journey of three planned flights, with an approximate total of 360 individuals expected to be transported. “It’s not a large operation,” added the president.

Upon their arrival, the migrants were slated to be housed in a shelter located in Panama’s Darien region before their repatriation, according to Mulino.

When asked later about Panama’s role in this deportation process, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Ruiz Hernández explained that this initiative was a direct request from the U.S. government. He also noted that the repatriation expenses were being covered by U.S. authorities through United Nations immigration agencies.

The individuals who arrived on Wednesday had been detained after crossing the U.S. border and did not possess any criminal histories, Ruiz stated.

During a visit last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Mulino in Panama. While discussions predominantly focused on U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands regarding the Panama Canal, Mulino also addressed efforts to mitigate migration through the Darien Gap and proposed Panama as a transit hub for sending U.S. deportees back to their homelands.

Rubio also forged agreements with Guatemala and El Salvador during his trip, aimed at facilitating the acceptance of migrants from third countries. This was viewed as a foundational step toward enhancing U.S. capabilities to expedite the deportation process.

Migration through the Darien Gap, which connects Panama and Colombia, reportedly decreased by approximately 90% in January compared to the same month the previous year.

Since his inauguration last year, President Mulino has overseen numerous deportation flights, with the majority financed by the U.S. government. Ruiz affirmed on Thursday that Panama has been “entirely open to participating and cooperating with the request made by U.S. authorities.”