Washington, DC, 17 September 2026 … Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Sir Ronald Sanders, has announced that discussions with the Government of the United States are expected to resume shortly, at the request of the United States, concerning the possible reception in Antigua and Barbuda of a limited number of third-country nationals removed from the United States.
The discussions form part of a wider United States initiative involving a number of countries, including several Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Antigua and Barbuda will enter the resumed negotiations on the basis of the Resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on 14 July 2026, which established the principles and safeguards governing the country’s participation in any such arrangement.
Among other safeguards, the parliamentary framework preserves Antigua and Barbuda’s sovereign authority to approve or reject every individual proposed for transfer on a case-by-case basis. It rejects any automatic or open-ended programme and requires satisfactory legal, operational, financial and administrative arrangements before any transfer can take place. These include adequate arrangements concerning identity and documentation, accommodation and support, legal status, security, funding, and responsibility for onward movement or return.
The negotiations will also be conducted under the oversight of Prime Minister the Honourable Gaston Browne, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs the Honourable Sir Steadroy Benjamin, and Minister of Foreign Affairs the Honourable E. Paul Chet Greene.
Ambassador Sanders emphasises that no final agreement has been settled with the United States and no transfer of any third-country national has been authorised under the proposed arrangements. The purpose of the resumed discussions is to determine whether terms can be agreed that are consistent with the parliamentary framework, Antigua and Barbuda’s laws and international obligations, and the national interest.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda continues to approach the discussions in a spirit of cooperation with the United States, while ensuring that the country’s sovereignty, security, financial interests and limited absorptive capacity are fully protected and that its legal and international obligations are respected.
