Costa Rica Formalizes Third-Country Removal Program as Second US Deportation Flight Lands in Alajuela

Costa Rica received 30 deportees from the US, including nationals from Brazil, China, and Ireland, under a recurring third-country removal program in April 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 10:16 AM EDT

Source: The Tico Times

Expansion of the Third-Country Removal Program

The arrival of a flight carrying 30 individuals at Juan Santamaría International Airport confirms that the third-country removal agreement between San José and Washington is now a standing operation. According to the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME), this second group follows an initial pilot flight on April 11. The current "Shield of the Americas" initiative, spearheaded by the U.S. and the Chaves administration, allows for the weekly transfer of up to 25 third-country nationals, though Costa Rican authorities have already exercised their discretion to exceed this cap.

Diverse Demographic Profile of Deportees

The manifest for the latest flight reveals a highly diverse group, consisting of 22 foreign nationals and eight Costa Rican citizens. The third-country contingent included eight Brazilians, three Romanians, three Uzbeks, and two Chinese nationals, alongside citizens from Azerbaijan, India, Vietnam, Belarus, and Ireland. Notably, the group included a Romanian minor and an elderly Irish man. This variety underscores the strategic scope of the program, which aims to process migrants from outside the Western Hemisphere who attempted to enter the United States.

Processing Protocols and Humanitarian Options

Upon landing, deportees undergo health screenings and immigration processing facilitated by the Professional Migration Police, the Red Cross, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Unlike previous detention models, these individuals are transferred to hotels for a seven-day assessment period. During this window, they are presented with three strategic paths: enrollment in a voluntary return program to their country of origin, application for legal residency in Costa Rica under humanitarian categories, or a formal request for refugee status.