Costa Rica will receive a group of deported migrants from the United States, with Foreign Minister Arnoldo André outlining the government’s plan for their processing and repatriation. André stated that after landing, the group will be taken to the Center for Temporary Attention to Migrants (CATEM), where their biometric data will be recorded. Following this, authorities will initiate the repatriation process to their home countries.
He added that the length of their stay in Costa Rica will depend on procedures with the receiving countries. Most repatriations will be voluntary, while others will require legal proceedings. According to the Costa Rican government, deportees can stay for a maximum of 30 days in the country. The permit can be extended, but only to complete exit procedures.
“We’ll see how agile we can be together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM),” he said. These people must remain in the CATEM center, and those who enter under the deportee system will not be able to extend their stay in the country. If they remain in Costa Rica illegally, the respective fines will apply. André pointed out that the stay permit implies restricted employment status. This means that they cannot work, either self-employed or as employees, and employers who violate this restriction will also face sanctions.
The Minister admitted that there is a theoretical possibility that some migrants may stay in Costa Rica, and when asked what will happen to those who claim to be at risk in their countries of origin, he stated that each case will be analyzed individually, respecting legal guarantees, including the option of refuge granted by Costa Rican legislation.
He also emphasized that all the costs associated with the process will be borne by the U.S. government. Costa Rica has committed to receiving up to 200 people of various nationalities, starting on February 19, following the mass deportations carried out by the U.S. government.
According to the resolution, after negotiations between the governments of Donald Trump and Rodrigo Chaves, Costa Rica agreed to receive the foreigners “in order to materialize their return to their respective countries of origin.”
