Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, has pushed back against Washington's efforts to have the twin-island nation accept greater numbers of third-country nationals than the government originally offered, according to Antigua News Room.
Sir Ronald stated that Antigua and Barbuda had made a limited offer to assist the United States as a "gesture of good faith and good friendship," but made clear the country cannot take on numbers beyond its capacity.
"We put forward a certain number," he said. "We will play our part in trying to relieve the United States of the burden that it is facing. But we can do no more than that."
Discussions between the two countries remain ongoing, as reported by Antigua News Room, but Antigua and Barbuda's position is firm. Sir Ronald warned that accepting large numbers of migrants from countries with which Antigua and Barbuda has no established relationship could generate serious social and economic pressures on the small nation.
The Ambassador raised pointed questions about the practical challenges of integration, including language barriers and the recognition of foreign qualifications and skills within the local labour market. He questioned how such individuals would be housed, supported, and absorbed into Antiguan society.
"What would happen with them when they come to Antigua? Where would they go? Who would look after them? How would they be integrated into the society?" he asked.
Sir Ronald also cautioned that accepting excessive numbers could strain the country's limited resources and potentially shift national demographics in ways that citizens would not support.
"The Prime Minister's offered a certain number that he would be prepared to absorb," Sanders said, adding that the government could not make decisions that would "put strain on our resources to the point where our own people would say, 'No, no, no, we're not doing that.'"
