For days, they say they were locked inside a hotel in Panama, surrounded by tight security with limited contact with the outside world.

Deporting migrants to Central American countries removes many political and legal hurdles for the Trump administration. How far can the practice go before these nations reach a breaking point?

Iranian Christians were flown to Panama after seeking asylum at the U.S. border. The flights are part of Trump's strategy to expel migrants.

Converting was colossally risky. While Christians born into the faith are free to practice, Iran’s Shariah laws state that abandoning Islam for another religion is considered blasphemy, punishable by death. Some members of her Bible-study group were arrested. So in December, Ms. Ghasemzadeh set out for the United States.

The people in question are from Iran, Afghanistan, China, and other garden spots. Their main offense seems to be that they were here. That they’ve ended up in Panama is no accident.

The U.S. has deported more than 400 migrants — from nations as far as China and Vietnam — to Panama and Costa Rica, leaving them in legal limbo.

Indians, Afghans and Sri Lankans are among the undocumented migrants unable to leave the hotel after being deported.