Trump Administration Begins Deporting African Migrants to Panama Under New Agreement

The Trump administration has launched a controversial new deportation strategy, sending unauthorized migrants from Africa and Asia to Panama instead of their home countries. This move, described as a diplomatic breakthrough for Trump’s immigration policies, marks a significant escalation in his efforts to remove undocumented immigrants from U.S. soil.

According to internal federal documents obtained by CBS News, a U.S. military flight on Wednesday deported migrants from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, and Uzbekistan to Panama. Another flight scheduled for Thursday is expected to include more Asian migrants, as well as African deportees—including individuals from Cameroon.

Panama’s foreign ministry confirmed receiving the first deportation flight under this new agreement, which allows the U.S. to transfer non-Panamanian migrants to the Central American country. The ministry also stated that the costs of these deportations would be covered by the U.S. government.

For years, the U.S. has struggled to deport migrants from Africa due to long distances and resistance from African governments, many of which refuse to accept deportation flights. This new deal with Panama allows the Trump administration to bypass those challenges by relocating African and Asian migrants to a country that serves as a key migration corridor.

Cameroon, one of the African nations affected by this policy, has faced ongoing conflict and political instability, with many migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. due to violence and persecution at home. Advocacy groups argue that deporting African migrants to Panama—rather than back to their home countries or allowing them due process—could put them at significant risk.

With Trump doubling down on mass deportations, this latest move raises critical questions about human rights, international law, and the future of African immigrants seeking refuge in the U.S.