The Bahamas says it has rejected a proposal from the transition group of United States President-elect Donald Trump to absorb migrants from different nations who could also be deported by the incoming administration.
In a statement on Thursday, the workplace of Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis stated the scheme to have the Bahamas settle for deportation flights “was reviewed and firmly rejected”.
“The Bahamas merely doesn’t have the assets to accommodate such a request,” Davis’s workplace stated.
“Because the Prime Minister’s rejection of this proposal, there was no additional engagement or discussions with the Trump transition group or another entity concerning this matter. The Authorities of The Bahamas stays dedicated in its place.”
Trump, who gained final month’s US presidential election and can take workplace on January 20, has promised to carry out the “largest deportation operation” within the nation’s historical past.
The Workplace of the Prime Minister needs to handle current studies concerning a proposal from the Trump transition group in the USA for The Bahamas to just accept deportation flights of migrants from different nations. This matter was offered to the Authorities of The Bahamas…
— Latrae L. Rahming (DOC)🇧🇸 (@latraelrahming) December 5, 2024
The proposed effort has spurred condemnation from rights advocates and raised questions concerning the feasibility of eradicating hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants from the nation.
The Division of Homeland Safety estimates 11 million “unauthorised” individuals lived within the US as of 2022. The Bahamas census for a similar 12 months exhibits the nation has less than 400,000 people whole.
Trump’s deportation plans can even doubtless take a look at the boundaries of his energy as president, as any “mass deportation” would contain authorized challenges and cooperation with overseas governments.
Citing three unnamed sources, NBC Information reported earlier on Thursday that Trump’s group was getting ready a listing of nations that it may ship migrants to ought to their dwelling nations not comply with take them again.
The record included the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Panama and Grenada, the sources instructed the US information outlet.
In 2019, throughout Trump’s first time period as president, the US signed a deal with Guatemala forcing asylum seekers who transited by the Central American nation on their method to the US-Mexico border to first apply for cover there.
The so-called “secure third nation” settlement allowed the Trump administration to deport people from third nations, corresponding to Honduras and El Salvador, to Guatemala.
It stays unclear whether or not any nations will agree to absorb deported, third-country migrants and asylum seekers when Trump takes workplace once more in January.
Final month, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California sued US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to acquire data revealing how the company’s deportation flights may very well be expanded to hold out a mass deportation programme.
“Little is understood about how President-elect Trump would perform its mass deportation agenda, however what we do know is that this proposal has already instilled worry amongst immigrant communities,” Eva Bitran, director of immigrants’ rights on the ACLU chapter, stated in an announcement.
“The general public has a proper to understand how its taxpayer {dollars} may very well be used to fund deportation flights that may tear aside not solely households, but in addition our communities.”
In the meantime, Trump continues to advertise his hardline immigration insurance policies, threatening final month to impose 25-percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada “till such time as Medicine, specifically Fentanyl, and all unlawful Aliens cease this Invasion of our Nation!”
Canada has since promised to bolster border security whereas Mexico — which has already been finishing up a crackdown on migrants and asylum seekers making an attempt to achieve the US — made the most important fentanyl seizure in its historical past this week.
Throughout a information convention on Thursday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated she hoped to achieve a cope with the Trump administration in order that Mexico wouldn’t have to absorb third-country deportees.
“We hope to achieve an settlement with the Trump administration in order that, in case these [massive] deportations occur, they ship individuals from different nations on to their nations of origin,” she stated.
Mexico, she added, was “in solidarity with everybody, however our essential goal is to obtain Mexicans”.
