The United States deported 135 migrants of various nationalities, including 65 minors, to Costa Rica on Thursday, the Costa Rican government confirmed.
The flight departed from San Diego, California, and landed at a facility near Juan Santamaría International Airport, as verified by an AFP journalist.
From the capital, San José, the deportees were transported by bus to a migrant facility approximately 360 kilometres (224 miles) away, near the Panama border, where they will await repatriation to their home countries.
Costa Rica’s Deputy Interior Minister, Omer Badilla, stated that all 65 minors on board were accompanied by a relative and that none of the deportees had a criminal record.
The group included migrants from Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Vietnam, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and Ghana.
Costa Rica, along with Panama and Guatemala, has agreed to receive migrants expelled by the U.S. and temporarily hold them until they can be repatriated or relocated to other host nations.
Last week, Panama received 299 deported migrants, with around 100 transferred to the San Vicente refugee camp in Metetí, located in the Darién jungle province.
