Panama Receives First US Deportation Flight Under Trump Administration

[ad_1]

Panama said it had received a first US military plane transporting 119 deportees of various nationalities, who will now be repatriated to their own countries. President Jose Raul Mulino, who has offered his country as a stopover for migrants expelled from the United States by the Donald Trump administration, said the plane arrived Wednesday with “people of the most diverse nationalities,” many from Asia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama two weeks ago, meeting Mulino in the midst of a dispute over ownership of the Panama Canal, which Trump had vowed the United States would be “taking back.”

After the visit, Rubio voiced optimism Panama would address US concerns, including over alleged Chinese influence on the operation of the critical US-built waterway. Mulino also promised to step up cooperation on the new administration’s top priority — repatriating undocumented migrants.

He offered Rubio the use of an airstrip in the town of Meteti in Darien, the dense jungle that has become a major crossing point for migrants seeking to exit South America en route to the United States. Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden had already sealed a deal after Mulino’s election last year to provide $6 million to assist in expelling migrants.

Since then, Panama has closed several routes in the Darien and deported migrants on flights to countries including Colombia and Ecuador. On his first day in office last month, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern US border and vowed to deport “millions and millions” of migrants. – Flown out soon – Mulino said a US Air Force plane landed at Howard west of the capital Panama City Wednesday, and the 119 migrants onboard were taken to hotels.

From there, they will be transported to a shelter in the Darien, and flown home on repatriation flights from an airstrip in the jungle. “We hope to get them out of there as soon as possible,” said Mulino, as he underlined the “contribution that Panama is making on the migration issue.”

The deportees included citizens of China, Pakistan and other Asian countries, said the president, adding more planes are expected from the United States soon. Latin America is the original home of most of the United States estimated 11 million undocumented migrants. Many had made the dangerous journey through the Darien, braving treacherous terrain, wild animals and criminal gangs for a chance at a better life. On Tuesday, Panamanian police turned back dozens of migrants, mostly Venezuelans, trying to return home after abandoning their journey to the United States over Trump’s deportation intentions.

Riot police forced the group to return to Costa Rica for an orderly repatriation process. Since Trump took office on January 20, undocumented migrants have also flown to Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Guatemala, as well as the notorious Guantanamo US military base in Cuba.

[ad_1]

Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=67b567d3bc55479da41ffc3e3c3e785e&url=https%3A%2F%2Fticotimes.net%2F2025%2F02%2F16%2Fpanama-receives-first-us-deportation-flight-under-trump-administration&c=4981543436498631449&mkt=en-us Author : Publish date : 2025-02-15 11:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source .

April 2025
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Panama Receives First US Deportation Flight Under Trump Administration

Opinion: Is Musk a Bond villain or America’s salvation?

JAMAICA UNDER SIEGE – Jamaica Observer

JAMAICA UNDER SIEGE - Jamaica Observer

Central America travel warning: Fuego volcano’s latest eruption disrupts Guatemala’s roads and flights – Hindustan Times

US announces military exercise in Guyana and Venezuela responds: “Threat to regional peace” – Peoples Dispatch

Curbing Violence in Latin America’s Drug Trafficking Hotspots – Crisis Group

Jamaica Lacrosse President Calbert Hutchinson Elected Vice President of Pan-American Lacrosse Association – Sportsmax

Judge orders White House to allow AP access to news events – NPR

Soufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat, West Indies (UK): news & activity updates | Mar 7 – Jul 25, 2007 – VolcanoDiscovery

The US is right to be concerned about China’s influence over the Panama Canal – Atlantic Council

Vinícius Júnior scores twice to lead Brazil to 4-1 win over Paraguay in Copa America group stage – AP News

‘Royalties for everyone’: Suriname president plans to share oil wealth – The Guardian

Colombia To Take On Trinidad & Tobago – Americas Rugby News

Categories

Archives