Introduction

Two years ago, Arsalan Saleh Fard, a 25-year-old Iranian, found himself in a place he had never imagined: Panama City. His journey led him from Iran to seeking asylum in the United States, only to be deported unexpectedly to Panama.

Background

Saleh Fard’s experience is part of the larger narrative of third-country deportations, a policy under the Trump administration impacting numerous asylum seekers. Many like him have faced uncertain futures in countries they never anticipated living in.

Life in Panama

In Panama, Saleh Fard struggles with instability. He spends nights in a shelter, sometimes sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Despite the challenges, he remains hopeful for a more secure and settled life.

“It is here, at times sleeping on a mattress on the floor, where the Iranian-born Saleh Fard was living a life in limbo.”

Saleh Fard’s story highlights the emotional and physical hardships asylum seekers endure in foreign nations due to political decisions.