Feb 20 (V7N) - Costa Rica is set to receive 50 children among 200 Asian migrants deported by the United States, President Rodrigo Chaves confirmed today. The migrants, originating from Central Asia and India, will be housed at a facility near the Panamanian border as arrangements for their repatriation or relocation are finalized.

Costa Rica, alongside Panama and Guatemala, has agreed to temporarily host deported migrants under a U.S. initiative aimed at streamlining expulsions. The U.S. Embassy in San José and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will oversee the migrants’ processing, with Washington covering all associated costs.

President Chaves emphasized that the children would be well taken care of but confirmed that the migrants would be restricted to the facility for an estimated "four, five, six weeks" before being sent to their home countries or a third nation. "Children are coming, 50 children, and we are going to treat them well here," he stated.

This development follows concerns raised in Panama, where migrants displayed signs at a holding facility reading "Please help us" and "We are not safe in our country." The Panamanian government denied allegations that migrants were being held against their will.

The deportation policy comes amid a broader crackdown on undocumented migration. U.S. President Joe Biden has maintained a strict approach, with measures designed to curb illegal crossings. The deportations are part of a wider regional effort to manage migration flows and maintain border security.

END/RH/