U.S. Deports Migrants from Pakistan, Other Asian Nations to Panama: NYT

The United States has deported migrants from several Asian countries, including Pakistan, to Panama, according to a report by The New York Times. The move signals a shift toward faster removals of immigrants whose home countries have been reluctant to accept their return.

A U.S. Air Force flight, carrying over 100 migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and Uzbekistan, departed from California and landed in Panama City on Wednesday night, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino confirmed. The deportees are currently housed in a local hotel before being relocated to a shelter in Darien, managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). From there, they are expected to be repatriated to their home countries.

This move is part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s intensified efforts to remove unauthorized immigrants. The Panamanian government, under diplomatic pressure, has agreed to cooperate, despite concerns about language barriers and safety risks for migrants left in unfamiliar environments.

According to reports, two more U.S. Air Force flights carrying around 360 additional deportees are scheduled to arrive in Panama in the coming days, with their return flights fully funded by the U.S..

The U.S. has also secured agreements with El Salvador and Guatemala to accept deported migrants of other nationalities, signaling a broader regional strategy. However, human rights organizations have raised concerns about sending migrants into unsafe conditions, citing high crime rates and detention abuses in El Salvador and Guatemala.

Panama, facing pressure from Washington, has aligned itself with Trump’s migration policies. The Panamanian government has reported a 94% decrease in migration through the Darien Gap, a key route for South and Central American migrants heading to the U.S.

This latest development marks a new phase in Trump’s immigration crackdown, raising global concerns about the treatment of deported migrants and the long-term implications for international migration policies.