Costa Rica faces a lawsuit before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, accused of violating the rights of 81 migrant children deported from the United States in February 2025. The children, part of 200 migrants from countries including China, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, were detained for nearly two months at a rural facility near the Panama border, prompting allegations of inadequate conditions, according to the Global Strategic Litigation Council and other human rights groups.
The lawsuit, filed on April 17, claims Costa Rica breached the Convention on the Rights of the Child by holding the children, some as young as 2, without legal status, access to education, or mental health services in their native languages. Silvia Serna Román, a lead attorney, stated that the prolonged detention risks long-term harm, with parents reporting children appearing isolated or sad. The facility, a former factory in Corredores, was criticized by Costa Rica’s ombudsman for poor conditions, including migrants sleeping on cardboard and limited food, though officials dispute these claims.
In February, the migrants arrived on two U.S.-funded flights to Juan Santamaría International Airport, part of a verbal agreement with the Trump administration to process deportees from non-Western Hemisphere nations. President Rodrigo Chaves described Costa Rica as a “bridge” to aid the U.S., noting economic ties, including $100 million in annual assistance. Omer Badilla, deputy minister of the interior, defended the arrangement, asserting no rights violations occurred and that migrants were not detained but processed for repatriation or asylum elsewhere.
The agreement, overseen by the International Organization for Migration, aimed to hold migrants for four to six weeks. However, after 50 days, many remain in limbo, unable to speak Spanish or contact relatives, per the ombudsman’s February report of “visible distress”. Sixteen Chinese nationals have requested asylum in Costa Rica, officials said.
Ian Kysel, a Cornell Law School professor with the litigation council, said the UN panel could issue a directive, though compliance depends on Costa Rica and pressure from treaty signatories. The lawsuit follows a similar case against Panama, which released over 100 deportees after legal action.
Migrants or families facing issues can contact the OIJ at 506-2295-3000.
