US Deports Group of Vietnamese and Other Asian Nationals to Panama

The United States has

119 migrants of various nationalities, including individuals from Vietnam, China, India, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, to Panama. This action is part of a between the U.S. and Panama, aiming to manage the flow of migrants. The arrived on February 12, 2025, and are the first group in a planned series of three flights, totaling approximately 360 individuals.

Upon arrival, the migrants are

in a temporary shelter near the Darien region, a dense jungle separating Central and South America, commonly by migrants the U.S. They will remain there before being to their respective home countries.

This initiative follows discussions between Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on Panama's role in

through the Darien Gap. As a result of , the number of migrants crossing the Darien region decreased by 90% in January compared to the same period the previous year.