The government of Antigua and Barbuda has launched a targeted enforcement operation to crack down on undocumented foreign nationals linked to criminal activity, after Prime Minister Gaston Browne issued formal orders for law enforcement and immigration agencies to locate and deport high-risk individuals. In an appearance on the locally broadcast Browne and Browne Show, Browne confirmed that the directive follows a documented upward trend in non-nationals entering the country unlawfully, overstaying entry permissions, and integrating into local communities while engaging in illicit activity that endangers public safety.
In illustrating the scope of the problem, the prime minister highlighted two recent high-profile cases that underscored the urgency of the government’s action. Roughly two weeks prior to his announcement, a foreign national wanted in connection with a fatal homicide in neighboring Jamaica was taken into custody by local authorities and subsequently deported. Another notable incident last year saw a Jamaican non-national fatally shot by police in the town of Jennings, after the individual was linked to a string of armed robberies across the island.
Browne emphasized that many of these undocumented migrants deliberately operate off the grid, remaining underground to avoid detection by immigration officials while building informal residence among local communities. Beyond violent property crime and homicide, he added that law enforcement has received multiple credible reports that a number of unregistered foreign migrants are involved in the illegal narcotics trade, a persistent threat to Caribbean regional security.
The prime minister made clear that the new enforcement push aligns with an existing government initiative: a 60-day immigration amnesty that currently offers all undocumented migrants residing in Antigua and Barbuda the opportunity to formalize their legal status. He stressed that migrants who do not take advantage of this amnesty window to regularize their status will be prioritized for detection and deportation once the grace period expires.