NEW DELHI: The Congress party on Thursday raised concerns over the deportation of 50 Indian nationals to Panama from the United States as part of the Trump administration’s measures against illegal immigrants.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed concerns over the issue, saying, “We would have thought that Indian citizens deported by the Trump Administration would be sent back to India with dignity.”
“Such deportations have taken place in a most inhuman and demeaning manner. Now come reports that more Indian citizens have been deported but to Panama. What is going on?” he said in a post on X.
The Trump administration has pledged to deport millions of people who crossed illegally into the US.
The Congress response followed the government’s statement that it is working closely with Panamanian authorities to ensure the well-being of Indians who arrived in the Latin American country from the US.
“Panamanian authorities have informed us that a group of Indians have reached Panama from US. They are safe and secure at a hotel with all essential facilities. Embassy team has obtained consular access. We are working closely with the host Government to ensure their wellbeing,” the Indian embassy in Panama posted on X.
According to a report by news agency PTI, the group of Indians is part of a larger group of 299 migrants sent to Panama by the US government.
These individuals arrived in Panama on three flights last week after President Jose Raul Mulino agreed that Panama would act as a “bridge” country for deportees.
Last week, Panama’s deputy foreign minister Ruiz-Hernandez said Panama was agreeing to a direct request from the Trump administration to accept the migrants. After being transferred to Panama, the deported migrants are no longer subject to United States law.
Out of the 299 undocumented migrants, 171 have agreed to return to their home countries, the PTI report said.
Ninety-eight deportees who refused voluntary repatriation have been sent to a camp in Panama’s Darien province.
The migrants include people from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, according to Mulino.