The government is intensifying efforts to safeguard its citizens caught in the US immigration system by partnering with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and pressing Washington for greater transparency on deportations, including advance notification and criminal background details, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds has said.
Symmonds made the announcement in Parliament on Tuesday, responding to concerns raised by the Minister of Home Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, about the lack of information provided when Barbadians are deported.
Abrahams, who oversees immigration, raised issues with the growing uncertainty surrounding US deportation policies and their implications for Barbadian citizens.
“My concern is the lack of information that is coming and the inability to know ahead of time who is being returned and under what circumstances,” he said. “People keep asking me, ‘What is immigration going to do?’ We have to take ourcitizens if our citizens return to us, but it’s a heavy load when we are not informed in advance.”
Symmonds acknowledged the challenges and assured that the government is actively working to ensure that Barbadians are treated fairly and that those deported are properly reintegrated.
“As a responsible government, we have to recognise that we cannot control the immigration policy of a third state,” he said.
“But what we can do is make sure that certain human rights and basic standards of treatment are accorded to Barbadian people wherever and whenever that need arises.”
The minister shared that Barbados’ diplomatic missions in Washington DC, Miami, and New York have established a relationship with the ACLU with a view to strengthening legal support for affected nationals.
He said this collaboration will help Barbadian foreign service officers better understand US immigration regulations and advocate more effectively for Barbadians facing deportation.
“We have held repeated meetings with our diplomats abroad, and as a result, they have been able to form a relationship with the ACLU so that our staff are better equipped to identify and have hands-on knowledge of the legal requirements in any of the US states where Barbadians may be impacted,” he said.
Symmonds also noted that the government is pressing US authorities to provide advance notice of deportations, allowing them to prepare for the arrival and reintegration of returning nationals.
He revealed that discussions have already been held with the US Embassy in Bridgetown, where a formal request for notification ahead of deportation flights was made.
“If you are going to send home three or fifty Barbadians on a flight, we would want to know in advance who is coming,” he said. “We need to be able to receive them properly and ensure they can be re-assimilated into Barbadian society.”
He also noted the need for criminal background details on deportees, particularly for those with a history of violent offences.
“If it was a non-violent offence, that’s a different matter than someone with a history of armed robberies or murder.
We must also know if they have any family here or if they are individuals who left Barbados as toddlers and have no existing connections to the country,” he said.
Symmonds stressed that deportation is a humanitarian issue, with families often torn apart and individuals returning to a country they no longer recognise.
“We have cases where a Barbadian leaves at two or three years of age, never communicates with Barbados, and then suddenly finds themselves deported here with no home, no family, and no support system,” he said. “It is then left to the State to find a way to accommodate them from scratch.”
The government is also advocating for “better approaches”, especially in cases where deportation would cause undue hardship, particularly for Barbadians living in the US who have families, jobs, and children who depend on them, the foreign minister added.
He said: “If our advocacy fails, it will not be for lack of effort. We are determined to protect our citizens, and that means keeping the lines of communication open with US authorities while ensuring that Barbadians receive fair treatment, no matter where they are.” shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb
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