Guyana: Fear of return to home countries, diplomatic hurdles lead U.S. deportees to Guyana – sources

Fear of return to home countries, diplomatic hurdles lead U.S. deportees to Guyana – sources Sep 19, 2026 News By Khadidja Bâ ( Kaieteur News ) – Well-placed sources have confirmed with Kaieteur News that Guyana’s decision to receive third-country nationals deported from the United States, centers on two primary factors; severe personal danger and insurmountable diplomatic barriers. According to these sources, many of the affected foreign nationals cite a well-founded fear of violence, retaliation, or systemic discrimination if forced to return to their home countries, making temporary resettlement in a third country like Guyana a viable alternative. Simultaneously, the United States lacks formal diplomatic relations or return agreements with several origin nations, such as Cuba, while other foreign governments flatly refuse to accept their own citizens, leaving these individuals in legal limbo with no direct route home. Guyana has since received six Cuban and Afghan nationals deported from the United States under a two-year arrangement with the administration of President Donald Trump. Under the newly finalised framework, third-country nationals who choose not to return to their countries of origin are given the option to remain in Guyana temporarily, should the government of Guyana give its approval. To support the initiative, a U.S. official confirmed with Kaieteur News that the United States Department of State has provided US$7,740,215.00 for the resettlement and integration of third-country nationals deported from the U.S. earmarked strictly for financial and technical support over a two-year period, the payout is being administered directly by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) as the official implementer. Under IOM’s oversight, individuals will receive counseling and education on voluntary return options, while temporary basic necessities, including accommodation, food, clothing, and household items, will be provided to those who opt to return to their origin countries. President Irfaan Ali has firmly assured the public that “neither Guyana nor IOM will facilitate forced removal.” Despite the substantial sum attached to the framework, no member of the Guyanese government has provided an official, detailed breakdown regarding the precise operational scope, administrative costs, or local resource allocations associated with the programme. This lack of public accounting has drawn condemnation from the APNU sect of the opposition. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, APNU member of Parliament Saiku Andrews questioned the administration’s security assessment and operational readiness. “When the president comes to us and says we’re accepting these third-country deportees, and they are not criminals, you have to really question what is he talking about,” Andrews stated. “Is there a different level of criminality he’s segmenting and these guys are at the lowest level? We don’t understand how we’re going to manage them. None of it. If you’re not good for the United States, you’re not good for Guyana. It is said that there are Cubans and Afghans in amongst these initial deportees… Such a decision should not be made in the dark corridors of government; it ought to be a transparent decision where the people of this country are involved.” Echoing these concerns, APNU parliamentary lead, Dr. Terrence Campbell warned of potential national security vulnerabilities and urged the government to halt the process until parliament is fully briefed. “We do not have any details on who these six people are, their background (sic). They must have broken the laws of the United States in some form or fashion, otherwise they could not be deported. They would be protected by due process in the United States… I would like to caution the government that they should not proceed along this road because it is extremely dangerous for our society to move along in such a way without understanding who we are bringing to Guyana. This is not an issue of prejudice. This is an issue of looking out for Guyana first,” Dr. Campbell said. Guyana has received six third country nations, four Cubans and two Afghans. Guyana now joins an expanding list of CARICOM partners receiving non-citizen deportees under U.S. bilateral arrangements. While global human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Refugees International, and Human Rights First, warn that third-country removals carry severe risks of unlawful repatriation, the U.S. administration has defended the policy under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as a key national security mechanism. According to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) document dated August 24, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) estimates that over 21,000 individuals have been removed to third countries under the policy to date, despite ongoing legal challenges in U.S. federal courts. Discover more from Kaieteur News Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Source: kaieteurnewsonline.com