Key Takeaways
• US expelled 299 asylum seekers from countries like Afghanistan and Cameroon to Panama between February 12-15, 2025.
• Reports allege harsh detention, racial discrimination, and denial of legal help before flights to Panama.
• International groups claim these expulsions violate treaties; call for immediate halt and fair review for all cases.
Allegations have surfaced about the treatment of asylum seekers by US officials just before large-scale expulsions to Panama 🇵🇦. Human Rights Watch, along with other advocacy groups, claims that migrants from countries like Afghanistan 🇦🇫, Eritrea 🇪🇷, Ethiopia 🇪🇹, Russia 🇷🇺, China 🇨🇳, Pakistan 🇵🇰, Cameroon 🇨🇲, and Somalia 🇸🇴 faced harsh conditions in US detention before being forced out in February 2025. Many of these people were trying to escape danger in their home countries, hoping for safety in the United States 🇺🇸, but reports say they didn’t get a fair chance to ask for help and were mistreated before being put on flights to Panama.
How Many People Were Affected, and Who Are They?
Between February 12 and 15, 2025, US officials sent 299 third-country nationals—meaning these were people coming from countries outside the United States 🇺🇸 and Panama 🇵🇦—back to Panama. Many of them were running from risks like being targeted for their religion, ethnicity, gender identity, family background, or beliefs. These expulsions included men, women, and children from war-torn or oppressive places where going back could mean facing serious harm or even death.
US border law says anyone at the US border has the right to ask for asylum. This is also a basic rule in important international agreements which the United States 🇺🇸 has agreed to, like the Refugee Convention and the Convention Against Torture. Asylum means a person can explain why it isn’t safe for them to go back to their country. If their story checks out, they get to stay somewhere safe.
But according to Human Rights Watch, this time, US officials sent people away without letting them even try to ask for protection. Some individuals told Physicians for Human Rights that they were treated “as less than animals.” Detainees were shackled when moved from place to place, weren’t told what was happening, and many never saw a lawyer or got to contact family before being placed on the flights.
Detention Conditions and Reports of Mistreatment
A key part of these new allegations is how asylum seekers say they were treated while in US custody. The reports describe being:
- Kept in Silence: Many asylum seekers said they were held “incommunicado.” This means they did not have any way to contact family, friends, or even a lawyer. Having no one to contact can leave a person feeling very alone and helpless, especially in a different country.
- Physical Restraints: Many people were shackled, sometimes by the hands and feet, without being told why. For some, this caused pain, embarrassment, and fear.
- No Legal Help: Detainees said it was nearly impossible to get legal advice. In many cases, they never met a lawyer or were told about their rights to try to stay safely in the United States 🇺🇸.
- Racial Discrimination: Some reports focused on Black migrants, noting that they seemed to face even worse treatment than others, including more time in custody and harsher conditions. Racial discrimination is when people are treated unfairly because of their skin color or background.
- Mental and Emotional Stress: Being kept in such conditions can be very hard on a person’s mind. Several people talked about feeling humiliated and scared, and some said the experience continued to bother them even after they left US custody.
These kinds of stories don’t just come from people sent to Panama 🇵🇦 in 2025. Similar problems have happened before. For example, in past years, Haitians who came to the United States 🇺🇸 asking for help also described being detained in crowded, uncomfortable places, sometimes for long periods, before being returned to dangerous situations. According to analysis from VisaVerge.com, these repeated patterns show ongoing problems in how US officials treat some groups of migrants.
Why Due Process Matters for Asylum Seekers
One of the main problems advocacy groups describe is the lack of “due process.” This is a basic idea in law that means everyone gets a fair chance to explain their side, especially before facing a big decision that affects their life—like being sent back to a country where they might be at risk.
In these February 2025 expulsions, Human Rights Watch says many asylum seekers:
- Weren’t told about their rights.
- Had no chance to explain why they left their home country or why going back could put them in danger.
- Did not get to see a lawyer or have support from family or friends.
International groups, like the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Migrants, have said that removing people without letting them speak up or get legal help is very troubling. The office described “extreme concern” that US officials failed to meet the requirements set by international law, which tightly restricts the removal of asylum seekers if they could face harm.
The United States 🇺🇸 is part of treaties that say people have the right to seek safety, and that it is wrong to send anyone back to a place where they might suffer torture, abuse, or persecution.
What Happens to Asylum Seekers After They Arrive in Panama?
When asylum seekers arrived in Panama 🇵🇦, new problems started. Human rights organizations have pointed out that Panama sometimes keeps people in detention even after they land, without a clear legal reason. Some people can’t quickly get in touch with family members or lawyers. It can be especially hard for people who don’t speak Spanish to understand what’s happening or get basic support like food, health care, or help making new plans.
After leaving detention, some people are given only short-term permits to stay in Panama, and it can be hard for them to access aid or find information about their rights. In some cases, human rights workers say that even in Panama, these people still risk being sent to a third country or even back to their original home—which could put them in the same danger they tried to escape.
For more about asylum rights and protections, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services site has an official page explaining asylum eligibility and procedures: USCIS Asylum.
International Response and Legal Concerns
Major human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Refugees International, have spoken out against both the US expulsions and Panama’s choice to receive these people. They believe that these actions break the rule against something called “chain refoulement.” This means if one country knows that sending an asylum seeker to another country will just get that person sent somewhere dangerous, it must not carry out the transfer. Both the United States 🇺🇸 and Panama 🇵🇦 could be breaking international law if their actions place people at risk.
These organizations demand that:
- The expulsions stop right away.
- Every person gets a fair, proper review of their story.
- Both the United States 🇺🇸 and Panama 🇵🇦 work together to follow international agreements and respect the rights of those seeking safety.
International bodies like the United Nations have raised big questions about these practices’ legality and their impact on people’s lives.
Systemic Issues Highlighted
Looking at the bigger picture, it’s clear these aren’t just one-time mistakes. Groups like Human Rights Watch and VisaVerge.com say the United States 🇺🇸 has a history of using “expedited removal” processes without enough checks to make sure rights are protected. Over the past years:
- Migrants from different places, not only those sent to Panama 🇵🇦, say they’ve faced the same lack of legal access or even basics like phone calls.
- Large-scale removals often target people of color or those from specific regions, raising questions about fairness and equality in the immigration system.
- Even when advocates have warned about these problems, similar cases keep appearing.
US officials rarely give public answers about the details of these removals. When advocacy groups ask for more information, they often get limited or no response. That leaves many families worried and makes it hard to fix what’s going wrong.
Racial Discrimination and Its Consequences
Racial discrimination is another problem that stands out in these reports. Black asylum seekers often describe worse treatment at every step—from arrest to time in detention to the way they’re sent out of the country. These problems can include:
- Longer wait times in poor conditions.
- Less access to lawyers or community help.
- Being more likely to be shackled or kept isolated.
Such discrimination can add to the emotional and physical burdens migrants already carry, and it also goes against the rules that all people should be treated fairly, no matter where they’re from.
What Do Rights Advocates Want to See Done?
Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, Amnesty International, and UN experts have three main requests:
- Stop Mass Expulsions: Both the United States 🇺🇸 and Panama 🇵🇦 should halt these removals right away, especially if people haven’t had a fair review of their cases.
- Fair Treatment and Access to Help: Everyone facing removal should be allowed to speak with a lawyer, understand their rights, and connect with loved ones. This is basic fairness and can help prevent wrongful returns to danger.
- Respect for International Laws: Both countries must honor their promises under international law. This means no one should be sent anywhere they could face harm and everyone deserves a real chance to explain why it’s not safe to go home.
Rights groups also call for more openness from US officials about how decisions are made and better conditions for asylum seekers at every stage of the process.
Summary and Looking Ahead
The evidence shared by Human Rights Watch, Physicians for Human Rights, and other advocates shows a system that often treats asylum seekers in ways that break both US law and international promises. Between mass expulsions, harsh detention, and lack of legal help, people already facing danger in their home countries now find new hardships when seeking safety in the United States 🇺🇸 and Panama 🇵🇦.
Both governments face calls to fix these issues immediately, make sure the rights of asylum seekers are not ignored, and allow each person’s story to be heard and checked out fairly. As the world watches, how the United States 🇺🇸 and Panama 🇵🇦 respond will shape not just the lives of those 299 people, but the way future asylum seekers are treated at the border.
For continued updates, reviews, and clearer guidance on topics like this, VisaVerge.com remains a top resource for understanding current immigration trends and issues. By staying informed and speaking out, advocates hope to push for a safer and kinder system for all people seeking asylum.
Learn Today
Expedited Removal → A fast-track deportation process by US officials that can remove migrants without a court hearing or full review.
Chain Refoulement → When a country transfers an asylum seeker to another country, knowing they may be sent somewhere dangerous afterward.
Due Process → Legal principle ensuring individuals have a fair chance to present their case before life-altering decisions.
Refugee Convention → An international treaty that sets standards for the protection of refugees fleeing persecution or danger.
Asylum → A protection allowing people to stay in a safe country because returning home would put them at risk.
This Article in a Nutshell
In February 2025, 299 asylum seekers from conflict zones were expelled by US officials to Panama. Human rights groups allege serious mistreatment, lack of due process, and racial discrimination. International organizations demand an immediate end to these deportations, calling for fair asylum procedures and full respect for legal protections.
— By VisaVerge.com
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• Migration Through Panama’s Darién Gap Falls by 99%
• Panama to Free Migrants from Detention, Defying U.S. Deportation Push
• Panama Updates SEM Visa Rules: Six-Month Extension After Cancellation
• Chinese Woman in Panama Camp Describes Life as ‘Guarded Like Prisoners’
