Immigration and Foreign Affairs Minister EP Chet Greene has described as “frightening” the new plans devised by U.S President Donald Trump to restrict legal immigration.
The new rule — pushed by the White House adviser Stephen Miller as a critical piece of President Trump’s America First immigration agenda — aims to reshape that immigrant community. Its backers want fewer poor people who might require public housing and food assistance.
They want to turn away sick people whose maladies may end up requiring costly Medicaid services, paid for by the government. And they want to discourage those whose lack of English proficiency could hold them back from succeeding in a competitive economy.
Greene said Antigua should prepare to deal with the consequences if this plan is implemented.
“If it goes forward, I mean you could be surprised to see the wave of returnees to these parts, as persons are forced out, because that’s the effect of it… it forces you out of the system,” he said.
“I can only hope that the forces aligned to fight this back are successful, but in the meantime just encourage our diaspora community to be mindful of what is happening: the many changes, the shift in policies taking place in the United States to be sure that they have their own game plans in place, to protect themselves, to protect their families,” he told state media.
The minister said, “I think the time has come with all of this ‘new development’ that we have to start looking at how do we prepare for the very likely eventuality of Antiguans returning home in large numbers. How do we cater to them socially? How do we cater to them from the perspective of work, the workplace? How do we look about the issue of health care? How do we look at the issue of security?”
“Some are returning home with real hard seasoned criminal traits learnt in the north american capitals. Do we have in our own space a police force, a military and para military services that can deal with, respond to and can really deal with these guys that are coming with first world criminal standards” he added.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Congrats to the US and President Trump excellent policies.
This is what Antigua should be following. This is what Antigua should be doing.
Look at market Street, Tindale road, Otto’s, near Cedar Valley gardens, Factory Road close to Charlie’s gas station,, point, Villa grays farm, hatton etc
Look at Mount St John hospital waiting room, check uniform vouchers, scholarship program, foreigners working in the immigration system.
I want someone with a vision and a plan to protect the borders of this country. Someone who will stand up for natives. Take the natives interest as a priority.
I absolutely agree with you and have to wonder why Chet Green has such an inflated opinion of himself to be criticizing the USA policies to deal with illegal immigration. Antigua should always have been catering first and foremost to Antiguans instead of allowing all and every deadbeat to just walk in here and turn this island into a gun slinging dirty ghetto that the island cannot cope with along with the communist Chinese who have no respect or liking for us or our democracy…just look at what they plan to do to the Hong Kong people with their military gathering at the borders ready to violently crush the people in a most likely similar way as they murdered their own people fighting for human rights in Tiananman Square.
totally agree @ Melchisedec
Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock! “Oh Gad!” – Antigua’s Joanne Hillhouse!
In this the International Decade for People of African descent 2015 – 2024; some 385 years after being brought to the rock as enslaved Africans; 185 years from Emancipation; 68 years of Adult Suffrage; 52 years of Statehood In Association; and, approaching 38 years of Independence, is that what a neglected education without the Promised Apprenticeship does to people lacking in Agency!
Heaven Help Us!
“The Negro enslaved by his inferiority, the white man enslaved by his superiority alike behave in accordance with a neurotic orientation.” Frantz Fanon: Black Skin White Masks!
Well SAID….ANTIGUA NEED TO ADOPT THE SAME IMMIGRATION PRINCIPLES…..STOP DUMB ILLITERATES WHO CANT EVEN READ AND SPEAK PROPER ENGLISH BURDENING THE SYSTEM TO TAKE RESIDENCE USING ANTIGUA AS THEIR STEPPING STONE…..CARICOM REFUGEES
A PERSON WHO CANT SPEAK ENGLISH HAVE NO EDUCATION beyond a
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA if that what can they offer the country they infiltrate??..
How much is the CARICOM NATIONALS COSTING THE ANTIGUAN GOVERNMENT YEARLY
Excellent nationalistic policy. The US is doing the right thing.
What trump is intending to do is on the level as the current administration A*LP has done to Antiguans and Barbudans by creating free zones,borrowing huge sums of money on speculative returns in tourism and wishing to push Antiguans & Barbudans aside for the benefit of foreigners.
So the only fear is the mess you have put the island in should Antiguans & Barbudans wish to return home!.
The only thing that is frightening is that Greene would be against these common sense immigration policies. I support PM Browne, but I do not support this Greene guy trying to force law abiding tax payers of Antigua to give money to illegal immigrants who steal and commit crimes in Antigua. If there is anything that will bring down PM Browne in his next election, it will be his Ministers being pro-illegal immigrant and Ministers forcing Antigua to support these crime-committing CARICOM immigrants.
No country should have to tolerate new immigrants that simply do not work and live off the earnings of others in society. This is why Antigua should kick out all of the immigrants that get social public welfare assistance, because they should be in their home country, not Antigua. No Antiguan should not have to pay taxes to support these lazy immigrants who commit crimes all day and night.
By the way if this policy affects Antiguans, send them back.
It is the responsibility of the Antiguan government to cater to there citizenry, not another country.
But then again if your vantage point allows you to see the health of the nation and it does not look good, I could understand why you would want to encourage your citizens to migrate.
Seems as if they are hell bent on facilitating migration of natives and at the same time living the immigration door wide ioen
These are different times where some countries are at is peak and resource are getting thin. Therefore, you can’t blame a country for using policies to start looking inward. Remember the British raped all our resources then, when there are nothing else to reap they started to looking inward after we started to become a liability; shedding all the small territories by giving them their independence. Thanks to those who took the advantage when they went to the US and do the right thing by working hard. Chet Greene, you do not have to worry abut this bunch much. They would come home having a pension and social security income check for the rest of their lives from the USA. This bunch will be a boost to the economy from the free $$$ coming in constantly. But yes, your worry is mainly health care and security along with the dejected returning criminals.
This is what both you Chet Greene and Steadroy Benjamin ought to be worried about,not Bombshell.Having a Green Card was not and is not a guarantee of staying in the USA.The only guarantee is that of Citizenship.That could be taken away from you also.For example,if you lied on your application to get that Citizenship.If you are charged with treason and be found guilty.
@Melchisedec:
We the Nationals need to stand up.We do not need any help from any Politicians.Look back at 1968.We the people stood up and faced down the Police and Defense Force.VC Bird had to backtrack his backsides.He had to lift the State of Emergency very quickly.The mob of Antiguans and Barbudans surrounded his home without fear.Where are the Antiguans and Barbudans of today?Back then we had backbones.Now this generation have nothing.They are a set of lazy,dope smoking,alcohol drinking,puking,weak links.Who depend on handouts from persons like the Big Dawg.
@ Bugsy
The ABLP administration encouraged natives to migrate and replaced them with Jamaicans, Guyanese, Dominicans,Syrians, Chinese, etc.
Thousands of Antiguans today are first generation Antiguan, please overstand this.
As long as this sub group is surviving and has a little to send home, what ever is happening around them is immaterial.
This group would not know if to sit or stand because they do not have any real conviction, they sway in the wind like a coconut tree.
This is why handouts are successful. This is why no matter how disgusting the Asnat is or how he embarrass, degrade, insult, molest people a lap top or a TV and it’s all forgiven.
The construct of the population was strategic, it is now matured and bearing fruit.
Blame UPP for knowing all this and went into office for ten years got pompous, large and I charge, new everything, closed their eyes and ears to the supporters. Blame UPP.
UPP was expected to dismantle the tenants of corruption and set it in a way that in cannot be reversed easily. I remember all who ran away and came back when they realize there was a big tent indeed
STOP PRESS
I just realize why the Don Trump move is frightening to Chet Greene.
Antiguans and Barbudans might be coming home in droves.
Imagine how this will change the demographics and directly impact the next general election.
Just the thought of that happening is driving fear in the Greene minister.
His hope to unseat Brown and become PM is flashing before his eyes.
Someone should send a letter to the Trump people and tell them to do it in alphabetical order.
Start sending back Antiguans first.
Tell Chet to read and understand that the law has been there a long time . They are only planning to reinforce it. When going through the green card process that is part of the questioning , that you are planing to be living on the government.
Not reinforce but enforce it.
Chet real smart. He more concerned about the elderly folks in his constituency than his national portfolio. He glad Trump came out with this so that he can “appear” to be fulfilling the immigration part of his portfolio by making a public statement on a controversial issue.
Antiguans Return to your home land.However,before you return.Listen to the calypso by King Progress entitled”Antiguans Return”.And see why you should not return.Because even though that song was done many years ago.The words still hold true as of today.Then when you have listened and digested that song.Listen to his other masterpiece entitled “Heaven Help Us All”.
Comments are closed.