Armenian Women and Children Caught in Trump’s New Immigration Crackdown, Held in a Costa Rica Deportation Camp

Credit: DW Español

Three Armenian mothers and their children are among 200 migrants deported from the United States to Costa Rica under a new immigration policy introduced by President Donald Trump in February. Now stranded in a remote shelter near the Panama border, Goar Toplakaltsian and Karine Avetyan are living in uncertainty, separated from their husbands who remain in the U.S. seeking asylum.

Their journey began with hope and the promise of family support in America. But that hope has turned into a nightmare. Speaking from the CATEM shelter in Costa Rica, Toplakaltsian and Avetyan said they were misled by U.S. border officials and deported under military escort without clear explanations or the chance to appeal. Their repeated pleas to reunite with their husbands remain unanswered.

Credit: DW Español

Also held at CATEM is Armine Margaryan, another Armenian mother, who explained in Armenian during an interview with Noticias Telemundo that returning to Armenia is not an option. “My husband had political issues and has threatened our lives,” she said. “We need to get to the USA, where our relatives are ready to help us financially and emotionally.” She added that her three-year-old son, traumatized by a month spent in U.S. immigration detention, now suffers from psychological issues.

Inside the shelter, children sing songs they don’t fully understand. They are school-age but attend no classes. These children, along with their families, remain confined in the migrant center under an agreement between President Trump and Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves.

The 200 migrants deported to Costa Rica come from a wide range of countries—including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, China, India, and more. Trump’s policy, which he described as a move to “clean the country of illegal immigrants,” involves relocating certain migrants to Central America. Costa Rica agreed to receive them with support from the U.S. State Department and the International Organization for Migration.

But conditions at the CATEM (Center for Temporary Attention of Migrants) have been sharply criticized by migrants, lawmakers, and human rights groups. The migrants’ identification documents have been confiscated, and they are being forced to choose between four options: return home, seek asylum in Costa Rica, seek asylum in another country, or remain in the shelter indefinitely. Many fear for their lives if they return, yet feel stuck without legal assistance or a clear path forward.

The physical conditions at CATEM are dire. With temperatures rising above 90°F, poor sanitation, limited access to healthcare, and scarce food, many describe it as "a prison without bars."

Photos shared by Noticias Telemundo show Armenian children sitting on the floor of the shelter, holding up a large handmade sign that reads: “Help us return to the USA.” The sign is decorated with drawings of the Armenian and American flags and includes the names Mane, Sofi, Mark, Elina, Alen, Emil, and Edward—a silent but powerful message from children who don’t understand why their lives have been turned upside down.

“We don’t have air conditioning or enough food,” said one migrant. “The children cry every day. They’re getting sick. This is not a place for families.”

As of now, 84 of the deported migrants have already been sent back to their countries. Ninety-four remain at the shelter. According to Costa Rica’s Deputy Interior Minister Omer Badilla, the government has not received a single formal asylum application from the migrants, despite reports of widespread fear of persecution. “We only act on documented cases,” Badilla said, adding that many migrants are afraid to speak with authorities.

While Costa Rican officials say they are trying to build trust, critics say the country is helping the U.S. sidestep international asylum obligations by outsourcing its immigration enforcement. “We raised our hand to help,” President Chaves said during a February press conference, referring to the United States as “our economically powerful brother.”

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned both the conditions at the CATEM shelter and the broader U.S. policy of deporting vulnerable migrants to third countries without due process.

Within the Armenian diaspora and beyond, concern continues to grow for the families stuck in limbo—stripped of their rights, their documents, and their hope.