The U.S. State Department is preparing to allocate up to $7.85 million to support deportations from Costa Rica, according to an internal document seen by Reuters. The plan, modeled in part on a 2024 U.S.-Panama agreement, marks a new step in President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb migration through Central America.
The funds, which will come from the State Department’s Economic Support Fund — typically used to aid economic development in partner nations — are set to be transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS would then collaborate with Costa Rican authorities to carry out deportations of migrants transiting the country en route to the United States.
According to the document, the initiative aims to enhance Costa Rica’s immigration enforcement capacity, offering “technical advice, logistical support, and air transportation” for deportation operations. A State Department spokesperson emphasized that the effort targets migrants “without international protections or other legal grounds to remain,” and is designed to deter irregular migration through Costa Rica.
The timing and scope of the deportation operations remain unclear, and the profile of those to be deported has not been specified. The document did not identify the countries to which migrants would be repatriated, leaving open the possibility of third-country transfers.
This move follows an earlier arrangement in which Costa Rica agreed to accept 200 immigrants from Africa, Asia, and Europe who had been in the U.S. unlawfully. While those migrants were intended to be returned to their home countries, many remain in Costa Rica.
The latest plan echoes the controversial Biden-era deal with Panama, which drew criticism from human rights groups and Democratic lawmakers for potentially denying asylum-seekers access to U.S. legal protections. Similar concerns are being raised about the Costa Rica initiative.
Since taking office in January, President Trump’s administration has pursued several unconventional deportation strategies, including partnerships with countries that lack strong institutions or adequate human rights protections. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has visited Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, and Chile in recent months to negotiate immigration cooperation.
Meanwhile, migration flows have shifted. The once-heavy movement through the Darién Gap has slowed, and some Venezuelan migrants have started heading southward through Costa Rica, disillusioned by Trump’s rollback of Biden’s humanitarian parole policies.
Costa Rica’s government has yet to comment on the funding plan. Its ministries of public security and immigration referred media inquiries to the presidency and foreign affairs ministry, which have not responded.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
