Costa Rica to accept 25 ‘third country’ deportees from US every week - AP News

Costa Rica has agreed to accept 25 deportees from the United States each week under a "third country" arrangement, allowing the Trump administration to remove migrants who did not originate in Costa Rica. Third country agreements enable the U.S. to deport foreign nationals to nations other than their country of origin, a practice the Trump administration has pursued to accelerate removals and deter unauthorized immigration. The deal reflects Costa Rica's willingness to cooperate with U.S. immigration enforcement despite the significant burden on a Central American nation already hosting tens of thousands of migrants and refugees. This arrangement allows the U.S. to process asylum claims and deportations more rapidly by routing migrants through partner countries rather than through lengthy domestic proceedings. The agreement is part of a broader Trump administration strategy to expand deportation capacity and secure cooperation from regional governments on immigration control.