Request made for Barbados to be notified of any plans to deport dangerous criminals

While Barbados has not yet been notified of any deportations under President Donald Trump’s new immigration policy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds, has revealed that the US is willing to grant their request for advance intelligence on deportees who may pose a threat to the island.

Speaking with Barbados TODAY on Monday, Symmonds said during discussions with US officials, Barbados had lobbied for pertinent information on any national being deported.

“I have only heard of one Barbadian person [being deported], and that is through an informal channel. So, with respect to formal communication by the United States of America to Barbados, I cannot say that there are any Barbadians who are as yet counted among these persons being arrested and subject to deportation,” Symmonds said.

“It may well be that the rumor about a Barbadian is true, and if that is the case, then we will no doubt be notified via the formal channels.”

He added: “What I can tell you is that at a very early point during the commencement of these arrests and deportations, I, together with my senior officials in my ministry, met with the US Chargé d’Affaires in Barbados and indicated the desirability of giving this country advance notice of pending deportations, and also of giving us a dossier on each individual who might be arrested, and who is likely to be deported, so that we have an idea as the profile of the person who is being returned here. Our friends in the United States seemed willing to cooperate with us in order to better help us to look after some of our concerns while assisting them in their efforts.”

Symmonds maintained that it was important for government to have access to information pertaining to deportees.

He explained that it would put the relevant authorities in a better position to cater to their specific needs and to nullify any possible threats.

The senior minister contended that some individuals might have left Barbados as children and may now be adults who have no real connection to the island.

“Specifically, my concern is that Barbados needs to have some advanced intelligence on the type of crime that these people have been accused of committing, or have committed, and of what type of criminal and social record they may have. 

“That is important, because it enables us to be better able to facilitate the seamless re-entry and re-assimilation into Barbadian society. In some cases, there are those individuals who may pose some degree of threat, and they would have to be dealt with in a specific way by our law enforcement officials; but in other instances, there may be individuals who require more of a social well being type of assistance. For example, with respect to matters relating to housing, or to the circumstances of their welfare and public health concerns,” the minister said.

Symmonds’ comments come on the heels of reports out of the US that 84 Jamaicans are among hundreds of “criminal aliens”, described by American authorities as the “worst of the worst”, who were arrested across several states recently as part of mass deportations.

The 77 men and seven women reportedly had convictions in 24 states for crimes ranging from homicides to weapons and drug possession as well as sex-related offences, some involving minors, according to data released by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently.

The list also includes 73 citizens of Haiti, nine Guyanese, seven citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, four from Saint Lucia, two from St Kitts and Nevis, two from Antigua and Barbuda, and one Barbadian.

The DHS, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, and a senior US official also signaled that the Jamaicans, along with hundreds of “criminal aliens” from 169 other countries, could face deportation proceedings.

Among the 84 Jamaicans apprehended was a man who the DHS said was convicted in New York for possession of a weapon and possession of cocaine with intent to sell, while another man was convicted for molesting a minor.

One of the women was convicted for battery, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, and failure to register as a sex offender.

The DHS database did not disclose the dates of the convictions or details of the crimes.

The DHS said that, since January 20 last year, 2.5 million illegal aliens have left the US.

A Bajan was reportedly counted among these citizens.