ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda — Antigua deportee costs must be fully covered by the United States before any transfer takes place, according to a newly released Government White Paper on the proposed removal arrangement. The document states that no individual should leave the United States for Antigua and Barbuda until a binding written commitment guarantees that neither the Government nor its taxpayers will absorb the expense of accommodating deportees who are not Antiguan or Barbudan nationals.
Officials say the arrival of any person who has not been formally approved, or whose costs have not been secured in advance, would be treated as a breach of the proposed arrangement. The Government frames this as a non-negotiable precondition rather than a preference, stating that approval will not be granted in the absence of a binding written commitment.
Antigua Deportee Costs Anchor a Five-Point Counter-Proposal
Under the Government’s counter-proposal, the United States or another approved international agency would be required to cover every cost tied to each transferred individual. This includes reception, settlement, accommodation, subsistence, healthcare, welfare support, security services, administrative processing, and any onward travel or return arrangements.
“The Government will not grant approval for any transfer unless a binding written commitment to full financial responsibility has been received and accepted,” the White Paper states.
Officials describe full funding as one of five core principles guiding the country’s position. The second principle preserves Antigua and Barbuda’s sovereign discretion to approve or reject every proposed transfer on a case-by-case basis, rather than accepting a blanket arrangement. The third limits eligibility strictly to individuals who have been carefully screened and who already hold final removal orders, excluding cases still working through appeals or pending legal review.
The fourth principle caps the arrangement at no more than ten people during 2026, a restriction the Government presents as a deliberate limit on exposure while the framework is tested. The fifth commits authorities to protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s legal and sovereign interests throughout every stage of the process, from initial screening to any eventual return.
The document argues that Antigua and Barbuda, as a small island developing state with limited land, financial resources and public services, cannot be expected to subsidize another country’s immigration policy. It adds that the financial implications extend well beyond initial reception, placing long-term demands on healthcare, social services, law enforcement, housing and government administration that a country of its size is not resourced to carry indefinitely.
According to the Government, draft operating procedures previously submitted by the United States did not include a binding commitment to meet the full cost of reception and settlement. Officials say those draft procedures also left unresolved questions about legal status, operational responsibility and long-term support obligations for anyone transferred, gaps the White Paper identifies as central to why the original proposal was rejected.
Legal Exposure and Reciprocal Demands
The White Paper also warns that accepting third-country nationals could expose Antigua and Barbuda to legal obligations under international treaties, particularly if individuals seek asylum or become effectively stateless after arrival. In such cases, authorities say the state could face open-ended costs tied to supporting individuals who cannot legally be returned to their country of origin, a scenario the document treats as a distinct financial risk from the upfront costs of reception.
Antigua and Barbuda signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the United States in January 2026, under which officials said the country retained full discretion over which individuals it would accept. The White Paper builds on that earlier framework by seeking binding financial terms rather than discretionary ones.
Despite the financial safeguards outlined in the document, the Government says those protections alone would not be sufficient to secure Antigua and Barbuda’s participation. The White Paper states that any arrangement to receive third-country nationals must come with meaningful reciprocal benefits beyond cost reimbursement, including consideration of lifting blanket United States visa restrictions affecting Antiguan and Barbudan citizens.
What Happens Next
Whether Washington is prepared to meet those financial and diplomatic conditions is expected to determine whether any transfer arrangement between the two governments moves forward. The White Paper does not indicate a deadline for a US response, and no transfers have been confirmed under the proposed framework.
