US to deport illegal migrants from India to Costa Rica

New York: The Central American country of Costa Rica has agreed to accept illegal Indian migrants deported from the US, creating a bridge for working out their eventual fate.

The deportations will start on Wednesday under a US-funded programme and the migrants will be detained in a temporary centre near the border with Panama, the office of President Rodrigo Chaves Robles has announced. Neither Costa Rica nor the US has said what would happen to the migrants after their detention in Costa Rica.

The deal helps the US avoid setting up massive detention facilities within the country for migrants waiting to be deported and avoid the negative optics,

"The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country," the President's office said, adding that the deportees would include those from India and Central Asia.

India has agreed to take back at least 18,000 illegal migrants in the US and Washington began deporting them directly to India.

The third plane carrying 112 illegal migrants landed in Amritsar on Monday.

During his visit to Washington last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will take back any verified Indian illegal migrant in the US and will also crack down on human traffickers exploiting the vulnerable.

The arrangement with Costa Rica followed a visit there by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get the country to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal migration.

Under similar deals, El Salvador, Panama, and Guatemala are also receiving deported migrants.

Illegal migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China were sent to Panama last week. (IANS)

Also Read: India’s proactive stance on illegal immigration hailed as US deports migrants

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