Migrant Rights Advocates Sue Costa Rica Over Treatment of Deported Children

The legal action seeks to hold Costa Rica accountable under international law for the treatment of migrant minors, following U.S. deportation flights. It reflects broader concerns regarding human rights in Central America.

A coalition of migrant rights attorneys has initiated legal proceedings against Costa Rica for allegedly infringing upon the rights of 81 children deported from the United States. The lawsuit contends that these minors were detained under deplorable conditions for nearly two months, which could potentially inflict irreparable psychological damage.

This legal claim marks the second notable challenge aimed at a Central American country that has cooperated with the Trump administration in facilitating the mass deportation of migrants. The lawsuit was formally lodged before the U.N. committee that oversees adherence to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ian Kysel, a legal scholar at Cornell Law School and co-founder of the Global Strategic Litigation Council involved in this lawsuit, explained that Costa Rica's commitment to additional protocols under the U.N. treaty allows for accountability measures. The committee can issue recommendations, but Kysel emphasized that actual compliance hinges on Costa Rica's willingness and the international community's pressure to uphold rights.

Earlier this year, a group comprising around 200 migrants from various countries, including China, Iran, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, was transferred to Costa Rica via two flights from the U.S. Among them were 81 children, subsequently transported to a remote detention facility situated a few hours from the capital. These minors were required to wait at this site until they either requested repatriation to their home nations or received asylum support from other countries.