Indian authorities verifying nationality of people deported to Panama

Indian authorities have started the process of verifying the nationality of 50 people presumed to be Indians who were part of a group of 299 migrants deported by the US to Panama in recent days, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

- Rezaul H. Laskar

The group of Indians are "safe and secure" at a hotel in Panama City, the Indian embassy said in a post on X.

The people cited above said on condition of anonymity that once the nationality of the people is verified, they will be issued emergency certificates so they can return to India.

Panama and Costa Rica are among the Central American countries that are collaborating with the US to repatriate deported migrants.

The US is sending undocumented migrants from several Asian countries, who have refused to return home or whose governments have refused to accept them, to the Central American nations.