Russian Family's Ordeal: Deported from US to Costa Rica Under Trump Agreement
In a controversial move that has drawn international scrutiny, the Trump administration struck a deal with Costa Rica to receive individuals from third countries who were being deported from the United States. This arrangement, which saw around 200 people transported to the Central American nation, has left a small number, including a Russian family, in a state of legal uncertainty and fighting for justice.
The Deportation Deal and Its Human Cost
Almost a year after Donald Trump strong-armed Costa Rica into accepting deportees from other nations, a handful of those affected remain trapped in a bureaucratic limbo. Among them is Alexander, a 37-year-old Russian man, his wife, and their young son, whose real names are withheld for safety reasons. They were part of a group flown to Costa Rica in chains last February, despite not being criminals, originating from 20 countries across Asia and Africa, including 81 children.
All had attempted to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border, only to be swiftly removed after Trump's return to the White House effectively closed the US asylum system. Faced with political hurdles in deporting them directly to their home countries, the administration sent them to Costa Rica, mirroring similar actions with Panama.
A Family's Flight from Danger
Alexander and his family fled Russia after he reported alleged election irregularities linked to the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, fearing retaliation from Putin's government. They traveled to Turkey and then Mexico in spring 2024, securing an asylum appointment in California for February 2025 under the Biden administration. However, Trump's inauguration led to the cancellation of their appointment. Despite crossing the border to request help, they were arrested, detained, and ultimately deported.
"They threw us out like baggage," Alexander told the Guardian, describing their bewildering arrival in Costa Rica, a country they barely knew. To their horror, they and other deportees were locked up for two months in a detention center, a move condemned by Human Rights Watch as "reprehensible."
Detention and Legal Battles in Costa Rica
The Costa Rican government had promised a safe haven, but instead, the family endured harsh conditions at the Catem migrant care center in Puntarenas. Alexander reported losing 15 kilograms, with his family falling ill and his son undergoing a traumatic dental extraction without anesthesia. In June last year, Costa Rica's supreme court ruled that the government violated the migrants' rights, ordering their release and compensation for breaches of personal liberty.
While released, the family has yet to receive any compensation, with lawyers from the Global Strategic Litigation Council suing the Costa Rican government on their behalf. Natasha Perez, a lawyer with the council, noted that the family is among only about seven deportees still in Costa Rica, with others' whereabouts unknown and likely unaware of their entitlement to compensation.
Political Backlash and International Concerns
The deportation deal has sparked outrage among US Democratic lawmakers, who sent letters to homeland security, state, and defense departments last September, questioning the legality of third-country deportations under US and international law. Senator Elizabeth Warren emphasized, "Deporting people to countries they have no connection to is not legal immigration enforcement – it's a violation of immigration law and due process."
Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves acknowledged the arrangement was driven by economic pressures, stating, "We're helping our powerful economic brother in the north, because if [the US] imposes a tax on our export zones, we're screwed." His term ends after elections on 1 February, with uncertainty over whether Costa Rica will accept more deportees in the future.
Life After Detention: A Fragile Stability
Now living near Monteverde in a Quaker community, Alexander and his family have been granted humanitarian permits, allowing them to work and study legally. Alexander has returned to work as a fitness coach, his wife has full-time employment, and their son is enrolled in school. However, the emotional scars remain.
"Don't forget, they deported us illegally," Alexander said. "They threw us out like baggage to a country with a language we don't speak. And no one was held accountable for this." Their story highlights the ongoing human toll of aggressive immigration policies and the complex legal battles faced by those caught in the crossfire.
