Nineteen Barbadians were deported from the United States last year, six more than 2016.
This was contained in the recent report from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), which outlined removal activities in fiscal year 2017.
Citing President Donald Trump’s executive order of January 25, 2017, ICE said it expanded its enforcement focus to include removable aliens who:
• had been convicted of any criminal offence;
• had been charged with any criminal offence that had not been resolved;
• committed acts which were a chargeable offence;
• engaged in fraud or wilful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter before a governmental agency;
• abused any programme related to receipt of public benefits;
• were subject to a final order of removal but had not complied with their legal obligation to depart the United States; or
• in the judgement of an immigration officer, otherwise posed a risk to public safety or national security.
The DAILY NATION understands the Barbadian deportees were sent back for immigration crimes such as overstaying, as well as criminal offences like sex crimes and illegal drugs, among others.
Haiti and Jamaica had the highest number of deportees among Caribbean countries with 18 838 and 782, respectively. Guyana had 139, Trinidad and Tobago, 128, St Lucia, 23, Antigua and Barbuda, 19, and Grenada, 15. (MB)
