The United States has deported 135 migrants of various nationalities, including 65 minors, to Costa Rica, the Costa Rican government confirmed on Thursday.
A flight carrying the deportees departed from San Diego, California, and landed near Juan Santamaria International Airport.
Upon arrival, they were transported by bus to a migrant center near Costa Rica’s border with Panama, where they will be processed for repatriation to their home countries.
Costa Rica’s Deputy Interior Minister, Omer Badilla, stated that all 65 minors were accompanied by relatives and that none of the deported individuals had a criminal record.
The migrants hailed from Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Vietnam, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and Ghana.
Costa Rica, alongside Panama and Guatemala, has been assisting in temporarily housing migrants expelled by the U.S. before their relocation to their respective countries or alternative host nations.
This latest deportation follows a similar operation last week, in which Panama received 299 deported migrants, with approximately 100 of them being transferred to a refugee camp in the Darien province.
