SAN JOSE, April 11 - Costa Rica on Saturday took in the first group of migrants deported from the United States under an arrangement the two countries signed in March, local authorities said.
The Costa Rican General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners reported that the group comprised 25 individuals who hold citizenship in Albania, Cameroon, China, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya and Morocco.
In a statement, the Costa Rican agency said, "Upon entering the country, the migrants will receive primary care from the Professional Migration Police, with the cooperation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)." Under the terms of the agreement, Costa Rica will accept up to 25 people per week. The United States will provide financial support and the IOM will arrange food and accommodation for migrants during the first seven days of their stay in the country.
The transfers form part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated efforts to expand a mass deportation program that includes removing noncitizens to third countries that are not their nation of origin. U.S. officials have argued that third-country deportations are needed in cases where migrants’ home governments refuse to readmit them.
However, the policy has attracted criticism from Democrats and human rights advocates, who argue it can leave migrants stranded in nations distant from their homelands without language ability or family connections. Critics raise humanitarian concerns about placing people in unfamiliar environments.
In February, Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee published a report that said deportation agreements with foreign governments have cost American taxpayers millions of dollars - at times more than $1 million per person removed - and have yielded little benefit, according to the committee's findings.
The arrival in Costa Rica marks the operational start of the March agreement's transfer mechanism, with local migration authorities and international partners coordinating initial reception and short-term support. Beyond the logistical details outlined in official statements, the long-term outcomes for those who are transferred under the arrangement were not detailed in the initial announcement.
Contextual note: The implementation includes weekly limits, short-term humanitarian support, and U.S. financial backing as described by Costa Rican authorities and referenced reports.