Panama is escalating its crackdown on irregular migration by deporting over 100 migrants from countries including China, India, Ecuador, and Colombia. The deportations are part of a broader strategy coordinated with the United States to curb the rising tide of migrants traveling north through Central America.
In a significant move to address the escalating migrant crisis, Panama is set to deport more than 100 migrants from China, India, Ecuador, and Colombia as part of a wider initiative to control the increasing number of people traveling northward through Central America. This initiative, announced by President Jose Mulino on Thursday, reflects Panama’s growing role in a regional effort to manage migration flows, particularly in coordination with the United States.
The deportation flights, scheduled to begin in early September, will first send 70 people back to India, with additional flights planned for Chinese nationals. While President Mulino did not specify the exact number of Chinese migrants to be deported, he emphasized that these efforts are integral to Panama’s broader strategy of discouraging irregular migration.
The crackdown also extends to South American nationals. In the coming days, Panama will deport dozens of Ecuadorians and Colombians. Ecuadorians, in particular, make up the second-largest group of migrants in the region, trailing only Venezuelans. This move follows a similar deportation earlier this year, where 29 Colombians were sent back under the same program.
Panama’s actions come in response to the rising number of migrants crossing into its territory from the Darién Gap, a perilous stretch of rainforest that connects South and Central America. The surge in migrant crossings has been significant, with over 230,000 people entering Panama through the Darién so far this year—a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to Roger Mojica, head of Panama’s migration agency.
The Biden administration, grappling with the challenges at the US southern border, has been working closely with Latin American countries, including Panama, to establish processing centers and bolster border enforcement measures. These deportation flights from Panama underscore the region’s collective efforts to manage migration and mitigate the pressures faced by countries further north.
