The United States Department of State has announced comprehensive visa processing suspensions targeting multiple Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states, marking a significant escalation of immigration restrictions throughout the region. The new measures, set to take effect next Wednesday, expand upon previous visa limitations imposed on Dominican and Antiguan citizens during the previous month.
This latest policy shift encompasses both temporary visitor visas and permanent residency applications, representing a substantial broadening of restrictions. State Department officials justified the suspensions by asserting that excessive numbers of immigrants from these nations rely on American social security and welfare programs rather than pursuing employment opportunities.
The affected countries include Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Haiti, Belize, with additional restrictions extending to Cuba and Brazil. Notably exempt from these sanctions are Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana—nations that have maintained stronger diplomatic alignment with recent US military operations in the Southern Caribbean.
CARICOM Chairman and St. Kitts Prime Minister Terrance Drew expressed profound skepticism regarding the welfare dependency allegations, characterizing them as inconsistent with decades of documented immigration patterns. “We are currently evaluating the situation at both OECS and CARICOM levels,” stated Drew, noting that while the announcement appeared on social media platforms, formal documentation had not yet been transmitted through official diplomatic channels.
Simultaneously, Antigua’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, confirmed ongoing diplomatic engagements with US officials. “The government of Antigua and Barbuda continues its representations to relevant United States authorities to secure our removal from restricted listings,” Sanders affirmed, while acknowledging that ultimate immigration decisions remain exclusively within US jurisdiction.
The visa suspensions have generated considerable concern throughout the Caribbean region, with leaders questioning the factual basis of the welfare dependency claims and examining potential economic impacts of reduced travel mobility between the affected nations and the United States.