Antigua and Barbuda has rejected a proposed arrangement that would allow the United States to transfer third-country nationals deported from its territory, insisting that any agreement must impose strict limits and safeguards.
The government has countered a U.S. proposal to accept seven third-country nationals per month with a ceiling of seven people every three months, or no more than 28 people annually. The proposed limit is not an obligation to accept any specific number, as the government would retain the authority to approve or reject each case.
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The issue involves people being removed from the United States who are not citizens or nationals of Antigua and Barbuda. The two governments have been negotiating the terms of a possible arrangement, but officials stressed that no final agreement has been concluded. The United States proposal and Antigua and Barbuda’s counter-proposal were released publicly on September 28 as part of the government’s commitment to transparency.
Under Antigua and Barbuda’s counter-proposal, no person could be transferred without the government’s prior written approval. Each proposed deportee would be subject to criminal and security checks, health assessments, immigration-history reviews and verification of protection claims and valid travel documents. Individuals would also have to be informed that Antigua and Barbuda is their destination and confirm in writing that they are willing to be transferred.
The government is also seeking guarantees that Antiguan taxpayers will not bear the costs of receiving and maintaining the transferred individuals. Financial and operational arrangements would have to be settled before any transfer, including responsibility for accommodation, support services and the person’s eventual lawful return or onward placement.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has previously said Antigua and Barbuda would not accept people with criminal backgrounds and that comprehensive due diligence would be required before any admission. His government has also rejected arrangements that could create open-ended obligations for the small Caribbean state, citing concerns about national security, public finances, legal responsibilities and the country’s limited capacity.
The proposed framework allows Antigua and Barbuda to suspend further transfers if concerns arise over national security, public order, public health, financial resources or the country’s capacity to accommodate additional people. The government has also indicated that the International Organization for Migration could have a role in the process, subject to separate arrangements.
The negotiations come as the United States expands its use of third-country deportations. On September 29, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their countries of origin while the broader legal challenge proceeds.
For Antigua and Barbuda, the current position is therefore one of conditional cooperation rather than an open-ended commitment. The government has maintained that it values its longstanding relationship with Washington but will only proceed with an arrangement that protects the country’s sovereignty, laws, resources and national interests.
