The Belize government says eight individuals have been transferred to the country following as it implements the Examination of Protection Requests agreement reached with the United States.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in confirming the deportation of the eight individuals said they arrived here under the agreement commonly known as the Safe Third Country Agreement.
‘In full conformity with the terms of the Agreement, eight individuals were transferred to Belize in July 2026 – the first transfers carried out under its provisions,’ the ministry said, giving no date as to when they arrived in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
But it said that the transfers were overseen jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Ministry of Immigration, in accordance with the procedures set out in the agreement.
‘Before the transfers took place, national authorities completed all required reviews and clearances through established national and international mechanisms, consistent with Belize’s due diligence process.’
The government said that under the agreement, ‘eligible third-country nationals seeking protection may be transferred from the United States to Belize on a case-by-case basis,’ adding ‘each proposed transfer is reviewed individually, and the Government of Belize retains full discretion to accept or decline any request.
‘The Government of Belize reaffirms its commitment to implementing the Agreement in accordance with domestic law and its international obligations,’ the ministry said.
Belize is among a number of CARICOM countries that the United States is seeking to have them accept third country nationals (TCN)
Earlier this month, the Antigua and Barbuda Parliament approved a resolution outlining the government’s negotiating principles for any agreement with Washington on the possible transfer of third-country nationals, with Prime MInister Gaston Browne telling legislators ‘if we were faced with an option of not taking criminals and to have visa restrictions, we’ll go for the visa restrictions because accepting criminals will destroy our country’.
But he noted that the ‘negotiations at this point do not indicate that Antigua and Barbuda is obliged to take any criminal elements’ and that all formal exchanges with the United States have excluded such a requirement.
He said the government would be prepared to consider accepting individuals whose only offence was a visa violation, particularly if they possess skills needed in Antigua and Barbuda, including nurses, specialist doctors and skilled construction workers.
He said that Antigua and Barbuda will seek up to US$75,000 in financial support for each third-country national it may agree to receive indicating that the country’s high cost of living requires greater assistance than other participating nations have reportedly received.