CBS News obtained internal federal documents that show Washington. The U.S. deports unauthorized migrants to Panama from countries in Africa and Asia, marking a diplomatic breakthrough for Trump’s deportation campaigns.
The first deportation under the Trump administration was the deportation to Panama of Asian migrants in U.S. immigration detention custody. Documents show that they included families and adults with children from Afghanistan and China.
A second U.S. military plane to Panama scheduled for Thursday will likely deport additional Asian migrants in addition to some African migrants. Documents show that they also include migrants from Cameroon.
Deportations of Central American migrants to this country, which has been a major corridor for migration in the recent years, are a diplomatic victory for President Trump, and for his crackdown on illegal immigration.
Due to the distances involved, the U.S. has had difficulty in deporting African and Asian migrants. Governments in these continents have also decided to restrict or reject American deportation flights. The New York Times was the first to report on Wednesday’s deportation.
The flights show how quickly and aggressively the Trump administration is working to convince countries in the region to accept migrants that are hard to deport even though they may not be citizens of those nations.
El Salvador and Guatemala are already willing to accept migrants deported from the U.S. El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele has offered to detain and accept suspected members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua that are expelled from America.
Trump’s administration is pushing for more deportation deals, but it’s not clear how many will be reached. Two U.S. officials, who requested anonymity as they were authorized by the media to speak to the press, told CBS News that one plan had been considered to send third-country citizens to Guyana in South America.
Panama’s willingness accept deportees comes at a time when Mr. Trump expressed interest in regaining control of the strategic Panama Canal that the U.S. ceded Panama in 1999. Panama’s leaders rejected the idea and denied claims made by Mr. Trump or U.S. officials regarding China’s influence over the canal’s operation.
The State Department announced that the U.S. reached an agreement that allowed its military ships to pass through the canal free of charge. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State , visited Panama shortly after assuming office. Panama’s President stated that no such deal was reached, and the State Department’s claim “based on falsehood.”
Requests to comment on deportation flights from Panama to the Departments of Homeland Security and State were not responded to by representatives of the Departments of Homeland Security and State.
Panama, like the U.S.A., has experienced significant migration challenges over recent years.
The Darien Gap is a mountainous and roadless jungle that separates Panama from Colombia. It has become an important transit route for migrants who want to travel through Central America to Mexico and then to the U.S.
In 2023, a record number of migrants, mostly from Venezuela, crossed into Panama through the Darien Jungle, setting a new record. This number dropped to over 300,000 by 2024. However, it was still the second highest annual total recorded by Panamanian officials.
