The United States reached an agreement with Dominica on Monday to begin sending foreigners seeking US asylum to the small Caribbean nation, following pressure from the Trump administration, which included visa restrictions.
Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit described the agreement as “one of the primary areas of collaboration” after the country was recently hit with partial visa restrictions and entry limitations in the United States.
Skerrit did not provide any other details, including how soon the United States will begin sending asylum seekers to Dominica. The Dominican premier however noted that during a discussion with the US State Department, restrictions were placed on those with a violent background.
FILE – Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit attends the second annual CARICOM-India Summit, in Georgetown, Guyana, Wednesday, November 20, 2024 – Matias Delacroix/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
“There were careful deliberations about the need to avoid receiving violent individuals or individuals who compromise the security of Dominica,” said Skerritt.
The announcement has left many locals concerned, according to the leader of the country’s main opposition party, Thomson Fontaine, about whether the small Caribbean country, with a population of about 72,000, has enough resources to absorb the asylum seekers.
“The Prime Minister has not yet told the Dominican public what exactly he has planned, in terms of numbers of people who will come to Dominica, where they will be housed, how they will be taken care of,” Fontaine told the Associated Press.
The administration of American President Donald Trump has signed similar agreements with countries, including Belize and Paraguay, as it continues to put pressure on countries in Latin America and Africa to take asylum seekers.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines PM Ralph Gonsalves walks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Dominica PM Roosevelt Skerrit at the State Department, May 6, 2025 – Kevin Wolf/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved
Antigua and Barbuda also announced on Monday that they signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding proposed by the United States “as part of its global efforts to share responsibility for refugees already present on its territory.”
Local government officials said Antigua and Barbuda would not accept anyone with a criminal record either.
Last month, the Trump administration announced it was expanding travel restrictions to 20 additional countries, including Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, the only Caribbean nations on that list. The restrictions came into effect on New Year’s Day.