Costa Rica says will receive deported migrants from US

SAN JOSÉ — Costa Rica announced Monday it would receive migrants from other countries who were deported by the United States, following in the footsteps of Panama and Guatemala.

"The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country," the Costa Rican president's office said in a statement, adding that "these are people originating from... Central Asia and India."

Costa Rica is the third country in Central America to collaborate on repatriating deported migrants from the United States since President Donald Trump assumed office in Washington on January 20. 

The first set of deportees will arrive in Costa Rica on Wednesday aboard a commercial flight, according to the statement, whereupon they will be transported to a Temporary Migrant Care Centre near the border with Panama. 

The statement specified that "the process will be completely financed" by the US government under the supervision of the International Organisation for Migration [IOM]. 

Panama and Guatemala had previously agreed to a similar arrangement when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited on a recent tour of Latin America. 

Panama received its first repatriation flight with 119 migrants aboard last week, originating from China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere, according to Panamanian officials. None have arrived yet in Guatemala.

Latin America is the original home of most of the United States' estimated 11 million undocumented migrants.

Many had made dangerous journeys, braving treacherous terrain, wild animals and criminal gangs for a chance at a better life.

Trump, however, took a hard line against undocumented migrants during last year's US election campaign, describing some as "monsters" and "animals."

On his first day in office last month, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern US border and vowed to deport "millions and millions" of migrants.