Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Gaston Browne-led government of Antigua and Barbuda is hitting back at the Trump administration amid an impending proclamation to impose visa restrictions, as Washington cited concerns over screening, vetting and citizenship by investment programmes.

The measures, which take effect on January 1, partially suspend the entry of nationals of Antigua and Barbuda, and Eastern Caribbean neighbours Dominica, as immigrants and on several non-immigrant visa categories, including B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M and J student visas.

The two CARICOM countries were included because they have historically offered citizenship by investment without residency, which US authorities say creates ‘vulnerabilities in identity verification and vetting’. 

In a statement, Prime Minister Gaston Browne declared the twin-island state’s “disappointment” at being included in the proclamation.

He rejected the assertion that the Antiguan Citizenship by Investment Programme has historically operated without a residency requirement, which he added “does not reflect the present reality of our laws”.

“Over the past year, Antigua and Barbuda has worked closely and constructively with several departments of the United States Government to strengthen safeguards within our Citizenship by Investment Programme. We have engaged in good faith, accepted practical suggestions, and taken concrete steps to ensure that our programme presents no risk whatsoever to the security of the United States,” Browne continued.

Citizenship by Investment Programme strengthened

As part of this process, the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda has recently enacted comprehensive new legislation strengthening every aspect of the Citizenship by Investment Programme, including due diligence, transparency, information-sharing, and enforcement. Importantly, this legislation introduces a mandatory 30-day physical residency requirement in Antigua and Barbuda as a strict condition for qualification for citizenship.

According to Prime Minister Browne, “it is therefore an error to state that Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Programme operates without a residency requirement. Immediately upon the issuance of this proclamation, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, contacted the United States Department of State. He was informed that State Department officials were themselves surprised by the proclamation and had received no prior notice of its issuance.

Ambassador Sanders has reportedly since initiated arrangements for urgent, high-level engagement with the State Department and the White House to clarify the matter, to present the full and accurate facts, and to begin the process of resolving this issue with a view to restoring normal visa access for citizens of Antigua and Barbuda.

Brown indicated that he has written directly to President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, offering the full engagement and cooperation of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to address any concerns and to take all reasonable steps necessary to allow for the restoration of all visa categories.

“Antigua and Barbuda values its relationship with the United States, a relationship that predates the independence of both our nations and is grounded in long-standing ties of friendship, shared democratic values, and close people-to-people connections. The United States is Antigua and Barbuda’s most significant trading partner and continues to enjoy a substantial and consistent trade surplus with our country. The Government will do everything within its power to ensure that the excellent relations between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States continue on the basis of mutual respect, cooperation, and accurate understanding,” Brown said in concluding his public response on the matter.