COSTA RICA · MIGRATION
Key Facts
- —What is happening Costa Rica had received 478 non-Costa Rican deportees from the United States in 23 flights by 2 October. Two advocacy groups say its migration agency cannot fully protect their rights.
- —Why it matters Costa Rica agreed on Monday, 23 March to take up to 25 third-country deportees a week, with no end date. Costa Rica says the United States pays for their care through the International Organization for Migration.
- —The numbers Of the 478, 183 were still in Costa Rica on 2 October, 26 were arranging returns and 269 had left. Costa Rica’s asylum system has a backlog of 177,971 requests.
- —Who is who Omer Badilla runs the migration agency (DGME) and is also deputy minister of governance and police. Refugees International and the Global Strategic Litigation Council wrote the report, based on 21 interviews.
- —What to watch On 5 October the migration chief said a US-funded programme of Spanish lessons, job search and housing help could start within weeks.
- —Power Index Costa Rica ranks 9th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 36.5 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you The United States pays for the care of third-country deportees in Costa Rica, but no total cost has been published.
Two rights groups say Costa Rica cannot protect 478 US deportees. Its migration chief rejects the charge.
Costa Rica deportees numbered 478 by 2 October, and two advocacy groups say the country cannot protect them. The migration chief, Omer Badilla, rejects that charge, La Nación reported on Sunday, 25 October.
The groups, Refugees International and the Global Strategic Litigation Council, published their report in October. It matters to US readers because Washington funds the programme through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
Costa Rica is a Central American country of about five million people and a popular US travel destination. Readers can find more in the Costa Rica hub of The Rio Times.
What the Report Found on Costa Rica Deportees
The report rests on 21 interviews, held in April, with people sent from the United States. Its Spanish title is “En el limbo”, and the authors say the sample is not representative.
Nine of the 21 had received no Costa Rican identity papers showing their legal status, La Nación reported. Some held work permits, yet employers and banks did not always accept them.
Twelve of the 21 fled serious danger at home but could not get asylum in the United States, Semanario Universidad reported. The authors argue that Washington is effectively passing responsibility for asylum claims to Costa Rica.
The report says Costa Rica’s asylum system has a backlog of 177,971 requests and only a handful of staff. The migration agency told Semanario Universidad that only 14 deportees have applied for refuge.
By 25 September, the groups counted 210 of the first 460 arrivals still in Costa Rica. They say the agency barred new civil-society hotel visits after one on Monday, 10 August.
Badilla told the groups of that decision in a letter two days later, the report says. The groups recommend suspending the deal until Costa Rica can guarantee the resources to receive more people.
What the Migration Agency Says
Badilla rejected the findings in an interview with La Nación on Monday, 5 October. He said paper holds whatever is put on it, and that he respects the groups’ view but does not share it.
He said 55% to 60% of arrivals had already left Costa Rica. The agency’s latest data show 478 people in 23 flights by 2 October, 18 more than the report counted.
Those who stay get lodging, food, medical care and psychological help, he said. The agency is preparing identity cards for them, plus a US-funded programme of Spanish lessons, job search and housing help.
On the visit ban, Badilla said the aim was to protect privacy after some migrants felt uncomfortable. The agency told Semanario Universidad it had only temporarily suspended access inside the hotels and denies banning future visits.
How the Deportation Deal Works
La Nación reports that then-president Rodrigo Chaves and Kristi Noem, then a US special envoy, signed the memorandum on Monday, 23 March. Costa Rica agreed to receive up to 25 people of other nationalities a week.
Semanario Universidad, which obtained the text, reports that Costa Rica may exceed that number at its discretion. The memorandum has no fixed term, and either side may suspend it with written notice.
Washington must send each flight’s passenger list 48 hours ahead, and Costa Rica can accept or refuse people, the same text says. The United States says it intends to consider foreign-assistance funds for food and housing.
The first flight arrived on Saturday, 11 April from San Diego with 25 foreigners and one Costa Rican, El Observador reported. Flights paused around the handover to President Laura Fernández on Friday, 8 May, and later resumed.
The deportees come from 39 nationalities, mainly Mexico, China, Colombia and Brazil, the agency’s data show. An informal deal in February 2025 had already brought about 200 people on two flights.
What It Means for US Readers
The programme is one outlet for the US policy of removing migrants to countries that are not their own. A related US legal fight is covered in the report on the Supreme Court pause on a third-country ruling.
Washington pays for the hotels and care through the IOM, but no total has been published. Neither the IOM nor Badilla gave La Nación’s Revista Dominical a cost figure in July.
Related coverage includes the Cuban migrant facing an Africa flight and US migrant aid for Honduras. For US relations with San José, see the stories on the US embassy gold-mining claim and on security cooperation.
What Is Not Known
The full report could not be opened for this article, so its findings come from La Nación and Semanario Universidad. The migration agency’s own website was also unavailable, so its figures are not checked at source.
Counts differ: La Nación gives 478 arrivals by 2 October, while Semanario Universidad cites 502 in 24 flights on Wednesday, 21 October. The latter ties the 502 to both deals, so it is unclear whether the 478 include 2025 arrivals.
The signatories of the memorandum come from local outlets, and no US government text was seen. It is not known what Washington pays, or whether Costa Rica will suspend the deal.
What Comes Next
Badilla said on 5 October the integration programme could start enrolling people in coming weeks. Flights were arriving weekly, so he expects the number staying in Costa Rica to build up.
The groups want the deal suspended, but Costa Rica has defended it and announced no change. No date is set for any decision, and the criticism does not by itself end the programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people has Costa Rica received from the United States?
The migration agency counted 478 people in 23 flights by 2 October, La Nación reported. They come from 39 nationalities.
Why can the United States send non-Costa Ricans there?
A memorandum signed on Monday, 23 March lets the United States send up to 25 third-country deportees a week. It has no fixed end date.
What do the rights groups say?
Refugees International and the Global Strategic Litigation Council say deportees face problems getting documents, jobs and legal advice. They call for suspending the deal.
What does Costa Rica say?
Omer Badilla, the migration chief, says the groups are wrong and that 55% to 60% of arrivals have left. He says those who stay get lodging, food and medical care.
Who pays for the programme?
Badilla says the United States funds the help through the IOM, not Costa Rica. No total cost has been published.
Sources: La Nación, 25 October; Semanario Universidad, 1 October; Semanario Universidad, 21 October; Semanario Universidad, memorandum, 27 March; El Observador, 11 April; El Observador, 6 May; La Nación, Revista Dominical, 19 July (all accessed 26 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief