Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda agree to receive U.S.-bound asylum seekers

Two Caribbean nations, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, said on Monday that they had agreed to start receiving foreign nationals seeking asylum in the United States. Dominica’s prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, said his country and the United States had signed “an agreement to facilitate third-country refugees to be sent to Dominica,” and that U.S.

officials had “acknowledged and well-received” concerns about receiving violent people or those who might compromise island security. Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister, Gaston Browne, said his administration had signed a “nonbinding” memorandum of understanding to accept “noncriminal refugees,” with no commitment to specific quotas and the ability to terminate the agreement “at any time.” Details remain sparse: Mr.

Skerrit did not specify how many people Dominica would accept, from which countries, or any housing plans, and noted the island’s small population of roughly 66,000 and limited resources meant it “would not be able to receive big groups.” Mr. Browne said his country would accept only 10 asylum seekers per year and that talks were underway with the United States to restore “normal visa issuance and renewals.” The U.S.

State Department said it remained “unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America’s border security,” but would not discuss “the details of our diplomatic communications with other governments.” The announcements followed U.S.

Key Topics

World, Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, Gaston Browne, Citizenship By Investment