The United States and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have strengthened regional security cooperation through the signing of a landmark agreement designed to enhance border protection and immigration screening across the Caribbean.
The Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC), signed in Washington by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), establishes the first multilateral Biometric Data Sharing Partnership between the United States and CARICOM member states. The initiative is intended to improve the identification and screening of individuals who may pose security or immigration risks.
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Under the agreement, participating countries will be able to exchange biometric information through a secure framework, allowing authorities to strengthen border management, support criminal investigations and enhance immigration vetting. U.S. officials said the partnership represents a significant advancement in regional efforts to combat transnational crime while reinforcing the integrity of immigration systems.
The arrangement also addresses concerns surrounding Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) programmes in several Eastern Caribbean nations. U.S. officials said the information-sharing mechanism will improve background screening and help reduce the risk of individuals using purchased citizenship to conceal their identities or circumvent travel restrictions, while existing visa policies remain unchanged.
Representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with officials from the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, attended the signing ceremony. Both DHS and CARICOM IMPACS expect the new security framework to become fully operational before the end of 2026, marking a major step toward deeper regional cooperation on border security and public safety.
