Costa Rica finds itself at the center of an immigration firestorm. This is despite the context of its recent deportation of families from the United States. The Costa Rican government has accepted these deportees, a decision President Rodrigo Chaves publicly framed as a gesture of support for the US, which he referred to as “our powerful economic brother in the north.” This unusual configuration has raised alarm bells—not only about the mental and physical toll these people have faced. It brings up potential economic concerns for the Central American country.
During a recent news conference, President Chaves highlighted the precarious nature of Costa Rica’s cooperation with the US, noting that the imposition of a tax on Costa Rica’s export zones would have dire consequences for the country’s economy. He stated, “We’re helping our powerful economic brother in the north, because if [the US] imposes a tax on our export zones, we’re screwed.” To say the least, Chaves hopes these measures don’t get passed. In doing so, he underscores the need for Costa Rica to soberly preserve its existing delicate balance in global diplomacy.
The US had previously threatened Costa Rica and other Central American nations with tariffs, visa sanctions, and other punitive measures to ensure their collaboration with a hardline immigration agenda. As a part of this initiative, Costa Rica made a bold move and agreed to take in deportees from other nations. This most certainly includes people who had been living in the US. This decision is consistent with predatory, anti-environmental actions of the Trump administration. They were deepening their deportation agenda by militarily exporting migrants to Costa Rica.
Another center of care for migrants, Catem, located in Puntarenas, is in a deeply concerning condition. It’s about a six hour drive from the capital city of San José. According to the reporting on Catem, conditions there are deplorable, most notably that migrants are having an extremely hard time adapting to life on the camp. As a result, too many are left facing unmet food and housing needs during a time when it is most critical.
“We wanted to see if their rights were being met but we realized that Catem didn’t have the right infrastructure for these migrants, including children and pregnant women. They were sleeping in poor conditions and they weren’t used to eating the food they were given.” – Monserrat Ruiz Guevara
The government has not only released deported individuals but has failed to offer financial compensation or any meaningful resources available. All too often, deportees leave with a sense of being abandoned and some uncertainty about what to do next. One deportee, Alexander, shared his experience:
“They threw us out like baggage to a country with a language we don’t speak. And no one was held accountable for this.” – Alexander
On Catem, Alexander’s family faced catastrophic health challenges. They became dangerously emaciated and perished from multiple diseases due to the inhuman conditions. He recounted how his son required dental care but was subject to inadequate treatment processes:
“In the first weeks I lost 15 kilos and my family was sick, so I started asking questions like ‘why didn’t we have freedom? Where were our passports?’ One day my son got an inflammation in his teeth and, through organizations, he was sent to a dentist that took a tooth out – without anesthesia.” – Alexander
Even the highly-regarded constitutional court in Costa Rica comes under withering fire. Critics are zeroing in on its decisions related to the treatment of deported migrants. According to critics, the court has prioritized political motives over humanitarian needs. This change further hampers the government’s capacity to steer such a nuanced situation to a successful outcome.
“I strongly opposed the constitutional court’s ruling. There were days that we restricted their [the deported migrants’] movements, but we immediately brought the situation under control. They were treated with dignity, they received medical attention and were fed. It seems to us that the constitutional court focused on its political interests in order to undermine the process the government followed with these migrants.” – Omer Badilla
Costa Rica’s government maintains that it cannot serve as a permanent refuge for individuals who do not belong in the country. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other officials have repeatedly stressed that the nation can’t allow it to become a “warehousing of people.”
“Costa Rica has always been an advocate for human rights. It has always been a just country and now it’s becoming a laboratory. Costa Rica can’t be a warehouse for people” – Monserrat Ruiz Guevara
As pressure increases around this hot-button immigration topic, most deportees speculate where they’ll find themselves living life in Costa Rica. Others, such as Alexander, have already landed jobs. In spite of language barriers, cultural differences, and ongoing uncertainty about their situation, they are optimistic about creating new lives.
“We are going to stay in Monteverde because we got jobs. My wife works 11 hours a day four times a week and I work at the gym. I still don’t fully speak the language, but this is the best for us now,” – Alexander
With President Chaves’s term set to conclude after elections scheduled for February 1, the future of Costa Rica’s immigration policies remains uncertain. The government’s ability to navigate its relationship with the US while ensuring humane treatment for deported individuals will be crucial in determining how this situation evolves.
The Costa Rican migration agency did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. Everyone wants to know whether or not more deportees from the US will be allowed in the future. Countries face the challenge of shifting domestic immigration policy and opening the climate space internationally. How Costa Rica chooses to respond may offer important clues to how the rest of Central America’s dynamic migration picture unfolds.