‘Deportee deal under fire’ …as govt. faces calls to publish agreement signed with U.S.

(Kaieteur News) – The Government’s decision to accept deportees from third countries under a new migration arrangement with the United States is coming under mounting criticism from political leaders and human rights advocates, who are demanding that the administration immediately make the full agreement public.

The controversy intensified following the arrival in Guyana on Friday of the first six individuals under the arrangement: four from Cuba and two from Afghanistan. No information has been shared on the background of the deportees who arrived here.

Under the agreed terms, the United States Government will bear the complete financial burden of the relocation exercise, ensuring Guyana incurs no financial liability. The operational execution of the framework falls directly under the IOM, which will fund and manage reception, housing, basic support, and social integration services, including healthcare, employment supervision, and facilitating contact with legal counsel and family. The IOM confirmed that the arrangement does not transfer any of the state’s official legal duties concerning immigration admission, protection, legal stay, or deportation. The administration maintained that Guyana holds total sovereignty and retains complete veto power to review and deny any individual put forward by U.S. authorities. Only individuals who explicitly consent to relocate of their own free will, have been denied asylum in the U.S. without wanting to return home, and meet strict non-criminal and skill criteria will be admitted.