The Government of Antigua and Barbuda will table a Resolution in the House of Representatives on Tuesday outlining the principles that would govern any future arrangement involving the possible transfer of third-country nationals removed from the United States.
The Resolution is intended to establish a clear policy framework to guide continued discussions while protecting Antigua and Barbuda's sovereignty, national security, legal obligations, administrative capacity and financial interests.
The Government also announced it will publicly disclose both the proposal submitted by the United States and Antigua and Barbuda's official response — making it the first country to release such documents in full. The disclosure confirms that no binding agreement has been signed and that no arrangement has been concluded between the two governments.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the administration believes matters involving legal, humanitarian, financial and national security considerations must be handled transparently and subjected to parliamentary scrutiny.
"This Government believes that matters of such legal, humanitarian, financial and security importance must be handled openly and with respect for Parliament. By bringing the full proposal from the United States, and our response, before the House of Representatives, Antigua and Barbuda is demonstrating transparency and accountability, while maintaining our longstanding friendship and cooperation with the Government and people of the United States," Browne said.
The Resolution is designed to establish the safeguards under which discussions may continue, while preserving Antigua and Barbuda's authority to accept or reject any proposed transfer on an individual basis. Key principles include no automatic or open-ended programme, no predetermined quota of persons accepted, and no transfer without the Government's prior approval in each individual case.
The proposed framework further requires that comprehensive legal, operational, financial and administrative arrangements be agreed to in writing before any transfer can proceed. The Government would also require satisfactory provisions relating to identity verification, travel documentation, accommodation, funding, legal status, security, support services and responsibility for any onward movement or return before considering any proposal.
The Government reaffirmed its longstanding relationship with the United States but stressed its constitutional responsibility to safeguard the interests of the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Bringing the matter before Parliament, it said, will ensure that any policy decisions are subject to democratic oversight and public transparency, while protecting the country's institutions, resources and social stability.
