This isn’t what we think it is.
Criminal deportation is commonly understood in more urgent contexts. A person comes here, commits and crime and is deported as part of their hearing. Or maybe they are removed from a prison here and extradited there. But, current immigration law puts no statute of limitations on crimes committed. With a shocking lack of due process, people can be sent to third countries and mass prisons (like CECOT), even after serving time and making restitution.
“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” -- Fred Rogers
Nory is the founder of the Paso Canoas Meal Program on the Panama/Costa Rica border. Her story is one we have heard again and again across migration routes throughout the Americas: ordinary people seeing great need around them and choosing to act.
What began eight years ago continues today, serving hundreds of migrants living Between Borders every month.
Jose left Venezuela to save his livelihood and search for a more hopeful future. A family farm that once sustained them no longer can, as the country's political and economic crises are making it harder to survive.
He crossed South and Central America, making his way north to seek asylum in San Diego. Now, he is in Panama, stranded between borders, with no clear way forward and no safe passage out.
Erick first left Guatemala as a teenager in 2004, after being threatened by gangs and fearing for his future. He made the journey to the United States to stay with his siblings and try to build a life.
His journey was not easy. He has been kidnapped, robbed, and mistreated. He has been deported several times, but cannot safely remain in his home country.
Today, he is staying at La 72 Hogar-Refugio para Personas Migrantes (one of our partners in Tenosique, Tabasco, Mexico)
Melona fled Eritrea, later lived in Ethiopia, and began a journey toward safety in the United States. While seeking asylum, she was deported to Panama where she spent months confined in a hotel and dangerous camps, and is now staying in an RFM shelter without a clear path forward.
Her story reflects the hope that drives migration and the reality many face on the way.
