Grenada weighs pact to accept non-national deportees

Grenada’s government has published the draft of a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. to accept deportees who are unwilling to return home or whose native countries refuse to welcome them back.

Made available late Thursday, the agreement is described as a non-binding arrangement. Either party can alter it by giving written notice. The agreement can also be terminated at any time with advance notice.

In the MOU’s details, Grenada appears to have succeeded in inserting a key clause. It relates to the maintenance and upkeep of any deportee it accepts. The U.S. will provide funds to care for anyone it sends to Grenada.

Other key clauses refer to intended arrivals possessing clean criminal records. They also require that arrivals possess skills that the federation with Petite Martinique and Carriacou can properly utilize for development purposes.

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, like colleagues in several Caribbean Community member nations, had signaled a willingness to accept the deportees once they meet the clean record criteria, possess the skills, and are to be looked after by the U.S.

The publication of the document comes as several of Grenada’s neighbors are in advanced talks with the US. These include St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Guyana. They are discussing the acceptance of people being kicked out of the U.S.

American officials say those being offered to the region would mostly be deportees who have overstayed visas. Others have had their asylum claims rejected or have non-violent, misdemeanor convictions. Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell consistently insists that the federation will not fund deportee upkeep from the public treasury.

“The government of the U.S. of America further intends to review available foreign assistance funds for food, housing, and other related matters, in accordance with applicable law and regulation. The government of Grenada does not intend to accept any transfer in the absence of arrangements for such assistance,” the MOU stated. Hours before, at a post-cabinet briefing, Mitchell did say that “if they are unable or unwilling to do so, then it’s not going to happen.”

The Prime Minister has also been speaking about Grenada’s right of refusal to accept anyone proposed by the U.S. if the person has a so-called ‘red flag’ issued.

“The government of the US may, in its sole discretion, propose to the government of Grenada the transfer of third-country nationals, and the government of Grenada may, in its sole discretion, consider accepting or rejecting such proposals in whole or in part on a case-by-case basis, consistent with Grenada’s laws and national capacity. For each proposed transferee, the U.S. intends to provide a full pre‐arrival dossier, to the extent available and permitted by law, which includes biometric identifiers; immigration, law‐enforcement, and security history; medical screening records; and a language profile.”

From all appearances, regional nations have moved to comply to avoid pressure from the U.S., including sanctions such as visa revocations for officials, suspensions of travel to the U.S., and other forms of pressure available to Washington.