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The U.S. has reached an agreement with the Commonwealth of Dominica that could allow some asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. border to be transferred to the Caribbean nation, per reporting by The Associated Press.
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit described the agreement as “one of the primary areas of collaboration” between the two governments following recent U.S. entry restrictions imposed on Dominican nationals.
Skerrit said he has been in ongoing discussions with U.S. officials after the White House announced partial visa limitations announced on Dec. 16 but declined to provide details on how many asylum seekers could be sent to Dominica or when the transfers might begin.
Skerrit’s engagement with U.S. authorities has led to what he called “careful deliberations of the need to avoid receiving violent individuals or individuals who will compromise the security of Dominica,” underscoring concerns about public safety.
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Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit faces opposition criticism over U.S. asylum agreement (Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica)
Dominica’s government continues to publicly address the larger framework of U.S. travel restrictions, even going as far as to say it “continues its engagement with the United States Embassy in Bridgetown and the State Department in Washington … in an effort to reverse a decision announced by the White House to impose partial travel restrictions on Dominican nationals, effective January 1, 2026.”
The government then went on to clarify that U.S. authorities have said Dominican nationals who hold valid U.S. visas, including tourist, business, student and other categories, “can travel to the U.S. and its territories as is customary.” The announcement reaffirms that lawful travel will continue under standard immigration laws.
The flag of Dominica is photographed against a clear sky. (Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
According to the AP, the agreement reportedly conveyed that, much like similar pacts with countries such as Belize and Paraguay, the agreement follows broader U.S. efforts under President Donald Trump’s administration to encourage other nations to share responsibility for asylum-seekers.
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Some in Dominica’s political opposition say they are still waiting for answers. Thomson Fontaine, leader of the main opposition party, told AP that “the prime minister still has not told the Dominican public what exactly he has agreed to, in terms of the numbers of persons that are going to come to Dominica, where will they be housed, how will they be taken care of.”
A whale mural by Marcus Cuffi is photographed along a street in Roseau, Dominica, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Clyde K Jno-Baptiste)
Dominica has a population of roughly 72,000, and the announcement leaves many concerned about adequate resources for the island to absorb asylum-seekers, according to Fontaine.
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Talks are still ongoing, but officials have so far said little about when the plan would start or how it would be carried out.
