Citing a wave of immigrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and around the world traveling through Costa Rica en route to the United States, the Central American country declared a “state of emergency” and intensified deportations.
“People are crossing Costa Rica trying to get to the United States, basically,” said President Rodrigo Cháves this week.
Seen as one of the friendliest countries along an 11,000-kilometer migratory route spanning 11 nations that can start in Brazil and end at the border between the U.S. and Mexico, Costa Rica has recently witnessed a dramatic increase in immigration. This surge is straining resources and leading to a rise in crime, according to authorities.
On Tuesday (26), the United Nations Office for International Migration confirmed an “unprecedented” increase in immigrants transiting through the region and called on Central American and Mexican governments to collaborate to address humanitarian needs.
The National Migration Service of Panama reported a record number of immigrants crossing the dangerous Darién jungle from Colombia this year. As of September 23, nearly 400,000 people have traveled through the jungle this year, traversing what is considered one of the most treacherous migratory routes in the world. In August alone, 82,000 migrants crossed the area, the highest monthly figure ever recorded, according to the United Nations. Most immigrants are leaving Venezuela, Ecuador, and Haiti.
Along with a record number of children, the Darién jungle is also seeing a notable increase in citizens from China, Afghanistan, and Nepal.
By September, more than 60,000 people had crossed Paso Canoas, the Costa Rican town bordering Panama. The number of immigrants was more than three times the town’s population of less than 20,000, said Jorge Rodríguez, deputy minister of the presidency.
It is estimated that Costa Rica has been receiving 2,500 immigrants or more per day since August. About 1% of those entering Costa Rica choose to stay instead of continuing their journey to Mexico, where there is no guarantee they will be allowed to enter the United States.
The presence of immigrants “creates enormous pressure on the population, and this community has been demanding solutions,” Rodríguez said at the press conference alongside President Cháves.
Earlier this year, the U.S. government launched several initiatives to try to stem the flow of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, including a humanitarian parole program for citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti. The program allows individuals from the four countries to work and live in the United States for a period of two years, provided they pass a criminal background check and have a financial sponsor.
The Biden administration has deemed the programs effective in reducing the number of immigrants at the border, but critics say the program, which is being legally challenged by those who claim it is an overreach of presidential powers, has not halted the flow, and the number of asylum requests continues to grow.
Source: Miami Herald