A coalition of attorneys initiated a lawsuit against Costa Rica on Thursday, asserting that the country violated the rights of 81 migrant children who were deported from the United States and subsequently detained for nearly two months. The legal action argues that the minors were held in conditions that could inflict irreparable harm.
This case marks the second significant legal challenge against a Central American country cooperating with the Trump administration’s immigration policies aimed at facilitating mass deportations. The lawsuit has been submitted to the United Nations committee overseeing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which monitors the treatment of minors globally.
Ian Kysel, a professor at Cornell Law School and one of the petitioners, noted that Costa Rica, by accepting additional commitments under the U.N. treaty, is subject to scrutiny. He emphasized that while the expert panel can offer directives, the real accountability rests with Costa Rica and other participating states to adhere to their obligations.
In February, Costa Rica received a group of about 200 migrants from nations outside the Western Hemisphere, including individuals from China, Iran, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan. This group contained 81 minors who were relocated to a remote facility near the Panama border, awaiting either deportation to their home countries or potential asylum in other nations. The circumstances surrounding their detention have raised significant human rights concerns.
