QCOSTARICA – The 35 of the 56 Cubans caught entering Costa Rica illegally cannot be deported, says the Constitutional Court (Sala Constitucional).
On Tuesday, the Court prohibited the immigration service (Dirección General de Migración) from carrying out its plan to deport the islanders to Cuba, part of the group 56 Cubans found in December to have entered the country illegally.
In resolving a writ of habeas corpus, presented on December 31 by Rodrigo Alberto Herrera Fonseca, the magistrates ordered the immigration service to send them to a third country, or else release them.
The magistrates did not explain the reasons for their decision.
The Cubans, in their court filing, argued that deportation violated their right to due process and claimed equality to the other almost 8,000 Cubans granted “exceptional visas”.
The deputy minister of the Interior (Ministerio de Gobernación), Carmen Muñoz, said the government will abide by the Court order and once the immigration service received notification of the judgement, will define the country they will be sent to.
Source; La Nacion