Costa Rica to accept 25 ‘third country’ deportees from US every week

Key Points:

• Costa Rica has agreed to accept 25 migrants deported from the United States each week under a new agreement supporting the Trump administration's policy of deporting immigrants to third countries.
• The agreement, described as a "non-binding migration agreement," allows Costa Rica to process these deportees under its migration laws and to reject transfers if necessary, while avoiding sending people to countries where they face persecution.
• This move places Costa Rica among several nations, including South Sudan, Honduras, Rwanda, and various Caribbean islands, that have signed similar deals with the U.S., which have been criticized for creating legal uncertainties and endangering vulnerable migrants.
• Costa Rica previously faced criticism over its treatment of deportees from countries like Russia and Afghanistan, including detaining many minors in poor conditions, but officials now promise better treatment and cooperation with international organizations for the new deportees.
• The Trump administration has spent over $40 million to deport approximately 300 migrants to third countries, a strategy seen by experts as circumventing legal protections against returning individuals to dangerous situations.