US reaches deal to send asylum seekers to Dominica
The United States reached an agreement with Dominica on Monday to begin sending foreigners seeking U.S. asylum to the small Caribbean nation.
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit described the arrangement as “one of the primary areas of collaboration,” following recent partial U.S. visa restrictions imposed on the country, News.Az reports, citing AP.
Dominica had been in talks with U.S. officials to address the entry limitations.
Skerrit did not provide details on when the U.S. would start sending asylum-seekers. He emphasized that during discussions with the U.S. State Department, officials carefully considered avoiding the transfer of violent individuals or those who could compromise Dominica’s security.
With a population of roughly 72,000, the announcement has sparked concern among locals about the island’s capacity to accommodate asylum-seekers. Thomson Fontaine, leader of Dominica’s main opposition party, highlighted worries over whether resources would be sufficient to absorb the new arrivals.
“The prime minister still has not told the Dominican public what exactly he has agreed to, in terms of the numbers of persons that are going to come to Dominica, where will they be housed, how will they be taken care of,” Fontaine told AP in a telephone interview.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has signed similar deals with countries, including Belize and Paraguay, as it continues to pressure countries in Latin America and Africa to take asylum-seekers.
Antigua and Barbuda also announced Monday that it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding proposed by the U.S. “as part of its global efforts to share responsibility for refugees already present in its territory.” Local government officials said Antigua and Barbuda would not be accepting anyone with a criminal record.
Last month, the Trump administration announced it was expanding travel restrictions to an additional 20 countries, including Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, the sole Caribbean nations on that list. The restrictions took effect Jan. 1.
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