Former St Vincent PM Ralph Gonsalves strongly advised that the NDP government should refuse to accept deportees and refugees from the United States, arguing that doing so poses a significant security threat and is not in the national interest.
Gonsalves on Monday criticized the current administration for seemingly entertaining the request and detailed several reasons why accepting these individuals is dangerous and impractical.
Gonsalves warned that while the United States might frame the request as a small number of people—perhaps 12 per year per island—these numbers accumulate over time and create “real problems with your security”,. He argued that deportees would inevitably link up with the “local and regional criminal class”.
He cautioned that the US is unlikely to send skilled individuals who could build up the country; instead, they would keep the valuable residents and send “the dregs,” potentially including “bad eggs” who would destabilize the local society.
A major concern for Gonsalves is the lack of transparency regarding the backgrounds of these individuals. He noted that the US controls the information and often provides only the specific offense for which a person served time, without disclosing their full history.
He stated, “You don’t know, for instance, whether the person is a psychopath. You don’t know whether the person is a repeat offender and speculated that the “refugees” the US wants to send are likely failed applicants for refugee status in America, rather than genuine refugees processed under international law.
Gonsalves pointed out the legal impracticality of accepting these individuals. He noted that under international treaties and local laws, the government cannot indefinitely imprison deportees or refugees who have not committed crimes in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Once they arrive, the country cannot simply send them back, leading to a potential standoff.
The former PM characterized the US request as a strategic maneuver to “tick a box” so they can pressure larger Latin American countries to accept more deportees by pointing to the compliance of small Caribbean islands and argued that accepting these deportees does not “move the needle” for the US regarding their immigration numbers but places disproportionate pressure on small island nations.
He advised the current government to adopt a strategy of “creative resistance” rather than being a “vassal” that rolls over for every demand,. He suggested they should:
State that it is not in the interest of either the US or SVG to open these “doors of insecurity”,.
Instead of accepting deportees, the region should propose alternative agreements, such as visa-free travel for visitors (similar to arrangements with the UK and EU) or energy cooperation,.
Gonsalves criticized the current administration and Minister St Clair Leacock for acknowledging the request and setting up technical groups to discuss “modalities” rather than rejecting the proposal outright.
The St Vincent government is expected to adopt a regional position on deportees from US according to Deputy PM St Clair Leacock.