The United States has reached an agreement with Dominica to begin sending expelled asylum seekers to the Caribbean nation, as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to curb illegal immigration.
It is believed that the deal was finalized on Monday following pressure from Washington that included partial visa restrictions and entry limitations on Dominican nationals. Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit described the arrangement as “one of the primary areas of collaboration” between the two countries.
Skerrit did not provide details on when transfers would begin or how many asylum seekers could be sent. He said, however, that discussions with the US State Department included assurances that individuals with violent backgrounds would be excluded.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda said on Monday it had signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding proposed by the United States as part of its broader efforts to share responsibility for refugees already present on US territory. Government officials in Antigua and Barbuda emphasized that the country would not accept individuals with criminal records.
The agreements come after the Trump administration last month expanded travel restrictions to 20 additional countries, including Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, the only Caribbean nations affected by the move.