The Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in Washington, D.C., has written to Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, concerning legislation she introduced in the United States House of Representatives on 15 July entitled the Third World Immigration Moratorium Act. The proposed legislation includes Antigua and Barbuda among 40 countries that would be subject to broad immigration restrictions.
In his letter to Representative Mace, copied to several high-ranking members of the House, Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders, said that while Antigua and Barbuda fully respects the right of a Member of House to propose legislation on immigration policies, it believes that any proposed measures affecting friendly countries, should be informed by accurate information and objective facts.
Ambassador Sanders advised Representative Mace that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has repeatedly advised the United States Government that the statement made about Antigua and Barbuda in Presidential Proclamation 10998 is factually incorrect. The Proclamation states that Antigua and Barbuda “has historically had Citizenship by Investment without residency.” The Ambassador pointed out that Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Programme has always included a residency requirement and that this has been formally communicated to the United States Government on several occasions.
Ambassador Sanders also drew attention to a drafting error in the proposed legislation, which refers separately to “Antigua” and “Barbuda” as though they were two independent countries. The Ambassador pointed out that Antigua and Barbuda is a single sovereign State. He said that “the error illustrates the importance of ensuring that legislation affecting friendly nations is founded upon accurate and verified information”.
He also challenged the listing of Antigua and Barbuda in the same category as several countries facing armed conflict, prolonged economic instability or large-scale irregular migration. Ambassador Sanders stressed that Antigua and Barbuda is an upper-middle-income country with one of the highest per capita incomes in the Caribbean. It is a stable parliamentary democracy founded upon the rule of law, with an independent judiciary and democratic institutions that have earned the confidence of its citizens and international partners alike.
Addressing the implication that Antigua and Barbuda presents immigration or security concerns comparable to those of the other countries listed in the proposed legislation, the Ambassador said that “The relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States is longstanding and mutually beneficial. United States citizens travel to Antigua and Barbuda without visas, many own homes and businesses in the country, and American investment has long been welcomed and protected under Antigua and Barbuda’s laws. The two countries cooperate closely in security, law enforcement, disaster response, education, tourism, trade and investment”
He added that the movement of people between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States has, for decades, been orderly and lawful. He also noted that no citizen of Antigua and Barbuda has ever sought refugee status in the United States, that visa overstays have traditionally remained at little more than one per cent, and that Antigua and Barbuda has consistently cooperated with United States immigration authorities in accepting the prompt return of its nationals who are lawfully removed.
Ambassador Sanders concluded his letter by inviting Representative Mace to reconsider the inclusion of Antigua and Barbuda in the proposed legislation and to ensure that any future consideration of measures affecting the country is informed by accurate and current information.
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No wonder we are such deep shit if this is what is being referred to as engaging the US Administration
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina serves on the House Committee on Armed Services, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Yes she is a MAGA; but she do not sit on a US House or Representative Committee that has anything to do with the VISA restrictions or immigration or Foreign Relations.
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Well said Ambassador 👏
Ain’t shit you can do Sanders. Lap your tail and squeal.
Senator Ronald Sanders rightly mentions that:
“…movement of people between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States has, for decades, been orderly and lawful”. This is so true.
However, good luck Senator, because when you are openly trying to negotiate with a US administration with right-wing leanings and has blatantly shown a dislike for people/and countries of a darker hue, it’s going to be an uphill climb. Fact!
You and the ABLP are going to have a tougher than tough time persuading these far-right ideologues to change their one-sided myopic minds.
Again, good luck, you’re going to need it👍🏾
At what point do we look at CIP and realize that it is causing us too many problems, it has run it course and now we need to end it?
Congresswoman Nancy Mace is a very close ally of PresidentTrump and her”Third World Immigration Moratorium Act” aligns heavily with Donald Trump’s political base. Backed by a strong conservative push, the bill aims to restrict US entry to countries offering CIP because according to them, it doesn’t align with US immigration policies. The bill makes this a very difficult battle for Antigua and Barbuda and other CIP countries.. Antigua and Barbuda’s inclusion in this legislative push is an intentional administrative measure and is putting the twin-island nation in a very precarious and challenging diplomatic position.
They will either have to stop selling passports or passports will stop selling when these people can no longer use it to travel to the US or European countries.
What this article says to me is that the government offices were fully aware that the USA high ranking officials are on the move to further sanction Antiguans and Barbudans from receiving visas due to the CIP program. This sounds like it could lead to government officials getting their visas cancelled. So this debate about the third country deportees was just a deflection to make it look like the immigration issue is the reason.
With the international community weighing heavily on the CIP program, the only choice is to cancel it. The reason why it was successful in the first place was because of its value- no travel restrictions to European countries (unless shut down travel free access closed) , Canada ( already taken away), the USA visa restrictions and even further restrictions.
We did not use the funds we got from CIP wise enough- too much waste in government handling of CIP and our taxes.
The Right Honorable Gaston Browne, I believe that you are more than capable to run this country effectively and still have economic growth without CIP. First you will need to address all the waste in government. That includes civil servants and none establish workers performing their duties properly. Too much government offices close down due to poor maintenance and lack of water etc. Underperforming because of basics, such as stationaries. Lateness and leaving work all times of the day. In the private sector Friday is not a half day holiday. In government offices it is now common practice.
We can continue to grow our tourism- it’s in the right hands and direction. The minister Joseph that is in heath is also moving in the right direction. So are many of the others. Hon. Maria Browne and PWD has been doing a good Job. She needs to continue working on the check and balances. The election roads projects need to be placed in the hands of PWD engineers and employees like what’s taking place on All Saints Road.
Most important is the food import bill and food security. Agriculture needs to be a driving force once more in this economy. We need to address infrastructure- water and roads to our farmers. Just like we have done for decades with the expats tourism investors.
Sir with proper planning and strong leadership ( which you are most capable) Antigua can move forward without CIP.
Now if we have to give up our US visas for not receiving the third country deportees, so be it. However, that is a completely different issue. So don’t try and confuse us with the two.
Finally as a government you need to be honest with your people. That is how people will support and buy into what you put forward.
@ Audley Phillip,
Embassy Row where Diplomats live and function seldom produces the type of results that Antigua and the Eastern Caribbean needs at this time.
Republicans in today’s world are guided by the MAGA propaganda and donors who come through K Street lobbying industry with loads of money.
The secrecy surrounding the CIP sources and uses of funds is known only by the Antigua and Barbuda Government and insiders. That’s problem No. 1
Understand the US and EU consider the CIP programs as a form of swindling that enables money laundering.
Typically swindlers or antitrust violators are asked to pay a fine for reduced jail time.
The reduce jail time the US is offering to Antigua and the EC begins with a restriction on immigration into the US. That’s like the convicted felon having a monitor around its legs.
The fine being offered on the table is the requirement for Antigua and the EC to take in criminal immigrants.
It should not be so difficult to understand when all the information regarding the dynamics are so readily available?
There is a tendency in the Caribbean to simplify or to make more complicated. It’s beveled a reasoned analysis.
We attach ourselves to phases and concepts without any clue of the meaning and substance.
That’s the reason why our Vice Chancellors often throw around words about our Sovereignty and Reparations. And those words gets widely used without an ounce of irony or substance.
The victims card will not work with Donald Trump and his allies.
The damage was done last year when GB gave the Trump administration the cold shoulder, and when he went and run his big mouth about the Carribean been a zone of peace, when the US war against Maduro had nothing to do with him, further implying that his allegence is to Maduro who he GB invested millions into with the WIOC cheap oil prices offered to GB and his investors in Venezuela oil.
I warned this big mouth man way back then. And by the way, the visa restrictions are not against CIP countries only, it’s against any nation that Trump deemed to have hurt Americans..that’s how that man thinks. Take Jamaica for example who doesn’t have a CIP, but what they have, is a culture that have enabled Scammers to thrive with not one person prosecuted in Jamaica for ripping off elderly Americans to the tune of over a billion dollars over the years.
So yes it stinks what’s happening, but there was a path to work with Trump when the opportunity presented itself, but this man squandered it..that’s also facts.
Like I’ve also said, look who is not on that Visa black list. Trinidad, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and many other islands in the Caribbean. So go figure. Phretoric does matter, and diplomacy also matters.
I’m also glad that Saunders recognized the for proper understanding of the importance of a good US relationship, in spite of who is in the white house. If we can only work with people we like, then we have no place in politics. Not everyone will like you or you like, but when you represent the people, their interests comes first and your ego last. GB does not know how to read the room and put away his ego. there are lots of proof in his pass behavior where many even in his own party can attest to.
That’s what’s also coming back to bite Antigua.
The have hardly any reason to work with Antigua, but Antigua has every reason to work with the US. There is where GB failed..He failed to understand the full scope of the US/Antigua relationship.
That’s what got us here.
I notice lots of comments referencing CIP. What is CIP? I know about CBI but what is CIP? Can someone enlighten me please.
Citizenship by Investment Programme goes by the acronyms CIP and CBI
Refers to the same thing. Different acronym used. CBI/CIP=Citizenship by Investment Programme.
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