The Trump administration has implemented a controversial new deportation policy, transferring undocumented migrants from Africa and Asia to Panama instead of repatriating them to their home countries. The move, hailed as a diplomatic success by Trump’s immigration team, represents a significant shift in U.S. deportation strategies.
Leaked federal documents obtained by CBS News reveal that a U.S. military flight on Wednesday deported migrants from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, and Uzbekistan to Panama. Another flight set for Thursday is expected to include more Asian migrants and African deportees, including individuals from Cameroon.
Panama’s foreign ministry confirmed the arrival of the first deportation flight under this newly established agreement. The ministry also clarified that all costs associated with these deportations would be covered by the U.S. government.
For years, the U.S. has faced logistical and diplomatic hurdles in deporting African migrants due to vast distances and resistance from African governments. Many nations have refused to accept deportation flights. By rerouting migrants through Panama—a key transit hub for global migration—the Trump administration has found a way to circumvent these obstacles.
Despite the gravity of this development, African leaders have remained largely silent, raising questions about their stance on the forced relocation of their citizens to an entirely different continent.
