This week, the U.S. deported hundreds of immigrants to Panama and Costa Rica, continuing a series of strict measures taken by U.S. President Donald Trump since taking office. According to BBC, 299 undocumented immigrants have been detained at the Decápolis Hotel in Panama City and are not permitted to leave or contact anyone outside the facility. The U.S. also carried out its first deportation flight to Costa Rica, after the two countries agreed that San Jose would accept up to 200 immigrants to avoid mounting economic pressure from the U.S. (Reuters). As the U.S. government embraces a harsh new approach to the immigration issue, rights groups are raising flags about possible violations of international laws protecting displaced people. 

The U.S. government’s current approach to the immigration crisis– one of President Trump’s most vocal points during his campaign– has received heavy criticism from international observers and human rights groups over the last several weeks. Referring to the use of Guantanamo Bay as a deportation facility, Yael Schacher, the director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International, called the current immigration situation a “catastrophic human rights disaster” (The Guardian). Several human rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed lawsuits against the U.S. government over the maltreatment of detained immigrants (Al Jazeera). As the Trump administration dismisses international laws protecting displaced people, including asylum seekers, experts point out the worrying direction of U.S. immigration policy under Trump. 

While President Trump’s actions on immigration become more extreme, international and domestic political groups must pay attention to the deportations that have taken place over the last several weeks.  The administration’s current approach shows a disregard for human rights, unequivocally clear in the use of the Decápolis Hotel and Guantanamo Bay prison to hold those who have been deported. Many individuals risk deportation to countries where they will face persecution, which is prohibited under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention. The international community must hold the U.S. accountable to international laws regarding protections for displaced groups. In addition, U.S. federal courts must monitor the Trump administration’s next moves on immigration. Last month, federal courts blocked an unconstitutional attempt by the President to end birthright citizenship. Judicial checks on executive power will be crucial for countering some of the U.S. government’s extreme positions on immigration moving forward. 

Just over one month into his term, President Trump has supported an unprecedented crackdown on immigration that has already led to mass deportations, signaling a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy. On his first day in office, Trump signed 10 executive orders on immigration (AP News). Earlier this month, El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele offered to take detained immigrants from the U.S. into his country’s brutal prison system, which the Trump’s administration praised as a viable option. Now, in just one week, several rounds of deportations have occurred after Panama, Costa Rica, and Venezuela agreed to take in hundreds of detained immigrants, many of whom rights groups speculate are subject to human rights abuses. Following up on promises made during his campaign, President Trump’s orders demonstrate a far-right movement of the U.S. government’s stance on immigration that ignores basic civil and political protections. 

President Trump’s entire second term so far has shown that it is possible his administration may bypass international protections for displaced people to achieve his immigration agenda. The current U.S. approach to immigration marks a drastic departure from previous administrations, particularly in the holding of deportees in blatantly inhospitable facilities. Latin American countries that have cooperated with the U.S. on immigration now have a responsibility to uphold the rights of immigrants deported from the U.S., particularly asylum seekers who are at risk of persecution in their home countries. As the U.S. continues to solidify its new approach to immigration, international criticism is crucial for holding the Trump administration accountable for potential violations of human rights.