Russian national German Smirnov, along with his wife and young son, found themselves in limbo at a migrant camp in Costa Rica after being deported from the U.S. Being among 110 migrants detained at the Center for Temporary Attention of Migrants (CATEM) since late February, they are faced with limited options, such as applying for asylum in Costa Rica, returning to their home countries, waiting in the shelter, or documenting their case for asylum in another country. Many of the migrants, mainly from Asia and Africa, do not have a safe country to return to and struggle with poor living conditions at the camp. Some have also lost hope in the authorities who provide limited information and support.
The migrants are not allowed to leave the camp, with their passports and identification documents confiscated until they make a formal choice regarding their future. While Costa Rican officials have mentioned the need for documenting asylum claims in other countries, many migrants are fearful of speaking with authorities. However, authorities assure that those with a legitimate fear of returning to their home country will not be forced to do so.
German Smirnov, who fled Russia due to political reasons, faces the threat of being forced to join Moscow’s war against Ukraine if he returns. Another migrant, Mohammad Saber Asadi from Afghanistan, left his country after threats from the Taliban and now hopes to relocate to Canada or Germany. The living conditions at the camp, with inadequate food, poor ventilation, and limited access to water, have made their stay even more challenging. Despite criticisms of Costa Rica’s role in U.S. deportations, authorities claim they are assisting out of a sense of duty as human rights protectors.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
