Migration In Central America
Paso Canoas is one of the largest border checkpoints between Panama and Costa Rica. In 2016, hundreds of Cubans, Haitians, and Africans from various countries were arriving daily at the Costa Rican border, seeking a new route to the United States.
In March 2016, the Obama Administration made a historic trip to Havana to meet with President Raúl Castro, marking a significant step in mending relations between the US and Cuba since the Cold War. Following this visit, concerns grew about potential changes to the Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA), a law that provides protections and expedites citizenship for Cuban immigrants residing in the United States.
Due to uncertainty surrounding the CAA, many Cubans were migrating quickly, hoping to reach the United States before the 2016 Presidential election.
