Costa Rica Signs Third‑Country Deal to Receive 25 U.S. Deportees Weekly

Costa Rica has said it will accept up to 25 migrants per week deported from the United States under a controversial “third‑country” removal arrangement with the Trump administration. The announcement was made on Thursday by Costa Rican officials as part of a broader U.S. push to expand deportation options beyond traditional repatriation to migrants’ countries of origin.

Under the agreement, the United States will propose the transfer of certain non‑U.S. citizens — often those whose countries of origin have not agreed to take them back — to Costa Rica, which has agreed to accept up to 25 such deportees each week. Costa Rican authorities say they retain the right to review and approve each proposed transfer individually, and that deportees will be processed in accordance with Costa Rican migration law.

Officials in San José have described the arrangement as a “non‑binding migration agreement,” underscoring that the country will consider each case and is not legally compelled to accept all proposed deportees. The provision of a special migratory status under Costa Rican law is expected to regulate how deportees are treated upon arrival and their rights while in the country.

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The decision places Costa Rica among several nations that have agreed to assist the United States in what critics term an expansive deportation strategy. Other countries in Central America, the Caribbean and Africa have taken similar steps, drawing sharp criticism from human rights groups that argue the practice can undermine asylum processes and leave vulnerable migrants in legal limbo far from home.

Human rights advocates have previously spotlighted related arrangements, noting that migrants deported to third countries often face gaps in legal protections and limited access to asylum procedures. Reports from past cases involving Costa Rica indicate that deportees sometimes arrive unaware of their destinations and without clear pathways to legal status.

Costa Rican leaders have sought to frame the agreement as a cooperative measure that balances their sovereign migration policy with diplomatic engagement. However, the policy continues to raise debate domestically and internationally over its implications for migrant rights and the responsibilities of nations participating in third‑country deportation schemes.

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