Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that two foreign nationals, a citizen of Trinidad and another from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, suspected of involvement in local criminal activity, have recently been deported from the twin-island nation. Speaking during his regular appearance on the *Browne and Browne Show* this past Saturday, Browne addressed a growing concern that has emerged in Antigua and Barbuda: a steady increase in the number of Caribbean citizens from other regional states alleged to be participating in illegal activity within the country’s borders.\n\n“Within the last few weeks, we had a Trinidadian and a Vincentian, two individuals with confirmed criminal backgrounds who entered the country, and we have now completed their deportation,” Browne stated during the interview. He also took the opportunity to reference a previous high-profile deportation case, that of a well-known Vincentian national only identified publicly as “Dexter.” Browne characterized Dexter as a notoriously violent and high-impact criminal who had long evaded successful prosecution by local law enforcement authorities, making deportation the only viable resolution to protect public safety.\n\nIn an effort to push back against accusations that the government’s deportation policy is targeted at specific nationalities, Browne emphasized that the administration holds no inherent hostility toward any Caribbean national. He reaffirmed that law-abiding foreign nationals from across the region who enter Antigua and Barbuda for work, family, or residence will continue to be welcomed and enjoy full protection under the country’s laws.\n\nEven so, the Prime Minister issued a clear warning to any immigrant who chooses to engage in criminal activity after entering the country: any violation of local laws will result in immediate removal. “When you come to our country, we expect you to be law-abiding citizens,” Browne said, underscoring that the government’s top priority remains protecting the safety and security of Antigua and Barbuda’s native population and legal residents. The announcement comes amid a regional push to coordinate cross-border law enforcement efforts to combat transnational organized crime, a growing challenge for many small island developing states across the Caribbean.
LISTEN: PM Says Trinidadian and Vincentian Criminal Suspects Were Deported From Antigua and Barbuda
