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

In a room at the luxury Decápolis Hotel in Panama City, two girls hold a piece of paper to the window with a written message. "Please help us," it reads.The hotel offers its clients rooms with sea views,

Panama is detaining in a hotel nearly 300 people from various countries deported by the United States, not allowing them to leave while waiting for international authorities to organize a return to their countries.