25-year-old Afghan woman told by Panama 'You cannot stay. You have to go back to your own country' after being expelled from U.S.
Feb 2025·Location: San Diego, CA
Country of origin: Afghanistan
Mariam, a 25-year-old Afghan woman, was expelled from the U.S. to Panama on a military plane. When she asked Panamanian immigration authorities if she could get asylum in Panama, they told her, 'Panama can't accept asylum. You cannot stay in Panama. You have to go back to your own country.' She told Human Rights Watch she was very anxious and scared, could not eat due to stress, was not sleeping, and had experienced a change in her mental health. She said, 'Normally, I am very happy, and I have no trouble with eating or sleeping. But now, many nights I don't sleep, and I have no appetite.'
Sources
- “Nobody Cared, Nobody Listened”
hrw.org·Apr 24, 2025·archived copy
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