After weeks of lawsuits and human rights criticism, on Saturday, Panama released dozens of migrants, who had been detained for weeks in a remote camp following their deportation from the United States. The Panamanian government has given them 30 days to leave the country, leaving many, like 29-year-old Hayatullah Omagh from Afghanistan, struggling to find a way forward.

“We are refugees. We do not have money. We cannot pay for a hotel in Panama City, we do not have relatives,” Omagh told the Associated Press, “I can’t go back to Afghanistan under any circumstances … It is under the control of the Taliban, and they want to kill me. How can I go back?”

Authorities stated that deportees may extend their stay by 60 days if needed, but beyond that, their future remains uncertain. Many of the migrants, including individuals from China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and Nepal, arrived in Panama City on Saturday after being released from detention. Human rights organizations and legal advocates met them at bus terminals, scrambling to find them shelter and resources.

Panama’s move to release the deportees comes amid growing concerns from human rights groups. The Panamanian government has aligned with the Trump administration’s policy of deterring migration, with officials stating they want to send a message to those considering making the journey to the U.S. However, critics argue that Panama and Costa Rica are becoming “black holes” for deportees, who become trapped with nowhere to go.

Lawyers and activists have condemned the conditions in which the migrants were detained. Reports from detainees described overcrowding, lack of access to legal counsel, and confiscation of mobile phones. Upon release, at least three migrants required urgent medical attention, including one with diabetes who had been without insulin and another with HIV who lacked proper medication under detention.

The deportees were part of an agreement among the Trump administration, Panama, and Costa Rica to expedite deportations from the U.S. Hundreds of people, including families with children, were sent to these countries temporarily while the U.S. worked on returning them to their places of origin. The deal has been heavily criticized as a way for the U.S. to shift its deportation burden onto other nations.

International refugee law grants asylum seekers the right to apply for protection when fleeing conflict or persecution. However, many of the migrants, like Russian LGBTQ+ asylum seeker Nikita Gaponov, stated they were denied the opportunity to apply for asylum in the U.S. “My hope was freedom. Just freedom,” Gaponov said, “They didn’t give me the chance.”

With limited options, some of the released migrants plan to continue their journey north despite the risk of re-deportation. Others, like Omagh, remain in desperate search of legal pathways to remain in a safe country.

Human rights advocates warn that unless alternative solutions are found, Panama’s release of the migrants could simply be an attempt to deflect criticism without addressing the broader issues of forced displacement and migration policies. As deportations from the U.S. continue, the fate of those stranded in Panama remains uncertain.