The Brazilian government announced on Tuesday its plan to set up a reception centre for migrants deported from the United States, following concerns raised over conditions on a recent deportation flight, reports AP.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva approved the creation of a humanitarian reception post in Confins, a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil’s Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship, Macaé Evaristo, informed journalists in Brasília.

This decision was made in light of the possibility of further flights following the arrival of the first deportation flight under the new Trump administration, which carried 88 deportees over the weekend. This followed numerous such flights during the Biden administration.

According to local media, government officials were troubled by reports that Brazilians remained handcuffed after an unplanned stop in Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon, due to technical issues with the aircraft.

A Brazilian military plane subsequently transported the deportees to their final destination, Belo Horizonte, in Minas Gerais, on Saturday afternoon.

On the following day, Brazil’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement requesting explanations from Washington regarding the “degrading treatment” of its citizens during the flight. The statement referenced “the use of handcuffs and chains, the poor condition of the aircraft, including a malfunctioning air conditioning system, among other concerns.”

The U.S. Embassy declined to comment, while the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency did not respond to an email request for a statement.

It remains unclear whether the 88 deportees were detained during the presidency of Donald Trump, who took office on 20 January, or under his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Over the past three years, nearly four dozen deportation flights have been conducted from the U.S. to Brazil. The Brazilian government has no intention of halting them and held discussions with the American chargé d’affaires on Monday, according to a government official with knowledge of the matter. The individual, who was not authorised to speak publicly, requested anonymity.

Brazilian authorities allow the use of handcuffs in exceptional cases, but not indiscriminately, and only following a risk assessment, the official stated.

Officials are currently investigating how many deportees were restrained. Reports from passengers indicate that the plane’s air conditioning system malfunctioned, creating extreme heat in the cabin, and that upon landing in Manaus, passengers disembarked through the emergency exit.

Regarding the humanitarian centre, Evaristo emphasised its purpose is to “ensure these passengers have access to proper conditions, including water, food, and a suitable temperature, which appears to have been the most harmful issue on the first flight.”

“We do not wish to antagonise the American government, but it is crucial that deported Brazilians are treated with dignity,” Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski stated on Monday.