Guyana in talks with US on accepting refugees, deportees

GUYANA--Guyana is in discussions with the United States on a possible arrangement that could allow the country to receive certain third-country nationals currently in the U.S., according to Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud.

Persaud said on Monday that talks have been moving forward and that any understanding would have to align with Guyana’s national priorities while also supporting U.S. objectives. He described the engagement as constructive in remarks to local media.

His comments come as Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica confirmed they have agreed to take a limited number of third-country nationals from the United States. The idea was first floated by Washington in early 2025, when the U.S. began approaching friendly Caribbean states and other partners about helping manage cases involving refugees and deportees who cannot be returned to their countries of origin.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit said his government has signed an agreement to facilitate the relocation of third-country refugees to Dominica in situations where the United States is unable to send them back to their place of birth. Skerrit said Dominica raised security concerns during discussions with the U.S. State Department, stressing that the country would not accept violent individuals or anyone who could threaten public safety, and that this position was acknowledged by U.S. officials.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne also confirmed participation, stating that Antigua has agreed to accept up to 10 non-criminal refugees, subject to screening and final approval by his government. Browne said the U.S. will provide biometric data and information on any criminal history, and he described the arrangement as a goodwill measure in which Antigua retains full discretion to approve or reject any proposed individual. He also noted that Washington has invited more than 100 countries to share some of the burden on the U.S. immigration system, and that several CARICOM members have already joined.

Guyana has not announced a final agreement, but Persaud’s statement signals the issue remains under active consideration as governments in the region assess the security, economic, and humanitarian implications of such frameworks.

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