US says no travel ban lists exist

WASHINGTON, CMC - The United States says there is no list of a draft travel ban after some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries had publicly called on Washington to confirm or deny such list existed.

"Well, first of all, there is no list. What people are looking at over these last several days is not a list that exists here that is being acted on. There is a review, as we know through the president's executive order, for us to look at the nature of what's gonna help keep America safer when dealing with the issue of visas and who's allowed into the country," said US Department of State spokesperson, Tammy Bruce.

"But what has being touted as something as an item through the State Department just simply isn't the case," she added.

Over the last weekend, the New York Times newspaper reported that six Caribbean countries, namely St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts- Nevis, Cuba, and Haiti, have been included in a proposed list of countries facing potential travel restrictions under the Trump administration.

According to newspaper, the proposal developed by diplomatic and security officials categorises countries into three levels of restrictions: a "red" list of 11 nations whose citizens would be flatly barred from entering the United States, including Cuba and Venezuela; an "orange" list of 10 countries, which includes Haiti, for which travel would be restricted but not cut off; and a "yellow" list of 22 nations, including the four Eastern Caribbean nations, which would be given 60 days to clear up perceived deficiencies, with the threat of being moved to one of the other lists if they did not comply.

Antigua and Barbuda formally requested clarification from the United States and in a diplomatic note sent to the US State Department last Saturday, the Antigua and Barbuda Embassy in the US expressed deep concern over the March 15 article in The New York Times.

"The Embassy expresses its deep concern about these reports and respectfully requests clarification regarding whether the Department of State has, in fact, drawn up such a list naming Antigua and Barbuda," stated the diplomatic note obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

"The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has received no prior notice from any branch of the US Government regarding this matter, and thus, would be grateful for any official information the Department of State can provide," it added.

The governments of the other Caribbean countries also expressed similar concerns with Castries saying that it had received no official communication from the US, while St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica said they were also seeking clarification.

Basseterre said that since August 2022, it has maintained open dialogue with the US government, particularly regarding reforms to its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, through which foreign investors receive citizenship of the twin island Federation in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the country.

St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica also have a similar CBI programme and the four countries recently announced closer collaboration among themselves and the United States to ensure the programme is not abused by criminals and other undesirable investors.

Antigua and Barbuda also indicated that all applicants undergo rigorous vetting by recognised international agencies, including INTERPOL, to ensure that no one with a criminal background or current charges, including terrorism, is considered.

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