CNN
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For several days, a group of migrants reported being confined within a hotel in Panama, facing tight security with minimal external contact.

Around 300 deported migrants from Asia were taken in by Panamanian authorities, who pledged to assist in their eventual repatriation as part of the Trump administration’s extensive deportation strategy, which has sought help from Latin American countries.

Some of these migrants were relocated to a secluded camp bordering the jungle, which is reportedly challenging to access, according to their legal representatives. They are now awaiting news about their potential return to their original countries or relocation to a different country willing to accept them.

However, their advocates expressed concerns that the conditions faced could be distressing and may infringe upon their rights.

The migrants began arriving in Panama City last week after being expelled from the US. Many were unaware they were being sent to a different nation until they landed in Panama, stated attorney Ali Herischi, adding that “they were informed they were headed to Texas.”

Subsequently, they were taken to the Decapolis Hotel, where they were compelled to remain confined for several days without venturing outside.

Jenny Soto Fernández, a Panamanian attorney representing about two dozen migrants from India and Iran, noted that her clients have been living under conditions of isolation, fear, and uncertainty.

She remarked that many weren’t aware of their rights and didn’t receive removal orders during their deportation. Language barriers compounded their anxiety over possible repatriation.

One migrant, Artemis Ghasemzadeh, an Iranian escapee fearing persecution due to her conversion to Christianity, highlighted her perilous situation.

“Under Islamic law, converting from Islam is forbidden,” said her lawyer, Herischi.

Ghasemzadeh is now apprehensive about her safety if sent back to Iran.

“We are in danger,” she communicated to CNN on Tuesday via text. “We are hoping for (a) miracle.”

While at the hotel, some migrants attempted to voice their plight by signaling journalists outside. They displayed handwritten messages at their windows pleading for help.

“Please assist us,” one note read. “We are not (safe) in our homeland.”

Another urgent plea, written in lipstick across a window, boldly exclaimed “HELP US.”

Panama’s Security Minister Frank Ábrego explained that the migrants were kept at the hotel for their own safety as officials needed time to thoroughly verify their identities.

Soto contends that the migrants have the right to seek asylum since they are escaping persecution.

“These individuals seeking refugee status are not embarking on an adventure; they are fleeing violence and oppression,” she asserted during her conversation with CNN.

Soto mentioned that she attempted multiple times to meet her clients at the hotel to finalize necessary legal documents, but was repeatedly blocked by officials and unable to pass the lobby.

She shared a video in which she was seen trying to reach her clients from the hotel staircase below, attempting to deliver paperwork, but the clients had been barred from coming down while she was asked to leave.

“They were visibly emotional, yelling their need for their lawyer,” Soto recollected.

Attorney Susana Sabalza recounted her experience representing a Taiwanese family confined at the hotel for five days without any clarity about their situation.

Although they had decent accommodations, she noted they were under severe psychological stress with security personnel and immigration officers present.

CNN has contacted Panama’s Security Ministry and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), both involved in the repatriation efforts.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino denied any wrongdoing from authorities, asserting they respect human rights.

Security Minister Ábrego stated Wednesday that no migrants had sought asylum, but acknowledged the importance of addressing such requests should they arise.

CNN has reached out to Panama’s National Office for Refugee Assistance to ascertain if any asylum requests have been submitted.

The Panamanian government announced that from Tuesday to Wednesday, approximately 97 migrants were relocated from the hotel to a distant holding facility near the Darién Jungle, following a New York Times report highlighting the dire circumstances faced by those trapped in the hotel.

Unfortunately, Ghasemzadeh’s awaited miracle did not materialize. Soon after her communication with CNN, she was among those relocated to the camp, without knowing her destination.

Herischi confirmed that his clients ended up in a “very poor” camp, describing it as harsh and unsanitary, with scarce access to medical care and the internet.

He highlighted that one family contained a sick child, whose cries were audible during a call between him and Panamanian officials.

Sabalza reported that the family she represents was also moved to the camp.

“It’s challenging since there are young children, and the climate is tropical,” she mentioned in her dialogue with CNN.

She also addressed the lack of clarity from Panamanian officials regarding how and when attorneys would be permitted to visit their clients at the camp.

“It is crucial for us to ascertain the mental and physical well-being of our clients,” she reiterated.

Herischi remarked that the situation was chaotic when the migrants arrived at the camp, as guards lacked a list of the incoming detainees; they also confiscated all the migrants’ mobile phones.

“This lack of organization indicates it’s a hastily made political decision without a clear plan,” he stated.

He intends to pursue legal action against both Panama and the US in international human rights courts.

According to Panamanian officials, over 100 migrants have expressed a desire not to be sent back to their home countries.

The IOM is expected to collaborate with these individuals to explore options for relocation to a third country, commented Security Minister Ábrego.

In the meantime, President Mulino announced that additional migrants would be transferred to the camp as they would be more comfortable there.

He also revealed that 175 migrants still at the hotel had voluntarily agreed to return home, with at least 13 already sent back.

Herischi disclosed that Panamanian officials assured him that Ghasemzadeh and the rest would not be sent back to Iran if they expressed fears of persecution. Instead, authorities are seeking discussions with other embassies regarding their possibilities for acceptance.

“The one fortunate aspect is that Panama does not maintain diplomatic relations with Iran, meaning there is no Iranian embassy to facilitate repatriation,” Herischi pointed out.

“That’s a small relief.”