US Denies Existence of Draft Travel Ban List

The United States says there is no list of a draft travel ban after some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries had publicly called on Washington to confirm or deny such list existed.

US Department of State Response

“Well, first of all, there is no list. What people are looking at over these last several days is not a list that exists here that is being acted on. There is a review, as we know through the president’s executive order, for us to look at the nature of what’s gonna help keep America safer when dealing with the issue of visas and who’s allowed into the country,” said US Department of State spokesperson, Tammy Bruce.

“But what has being touted as something as an item through the State Department just simply isn’t the case,” she added.

New York Times Report

Over the last weekend, the New York Times newspaper reported that six Caribbean countries, namely St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts-Nevis, Cuba, and Haiti, have been included in a proposed list of countries facing potential travel restrictions under the Trump administration.

According to newspaper, the proposal developed by diplomatic and security officials categorizes countries into three levels of restrictions: a “red” list of 11 nations whose citizens would be flatly barred from entering the United States, including Cuba and Venezuela; an “orange” list of 10 countries, which includes Haiti, for which travel would be restricted but not cut off; and a “yellow” list of 22 nations, including the four Eastern Caribbean nations, which would be given 60 days to clear up perceived deficiencies, with the threat of being moved to one of the other lists if they did not comply.

Caribbean Countries’ Response

Antigua and Barbuda formally requested clarification from the United States and in a diplomatic note sent to the US State Department last Saturday, the Antigua and Barbuda embassy in the US expressed deep concern over the March 15 article in The New York Times.

“The embassy expresses its deep concern about these reports and respectfully requests clarification regarding whether the Department of State has, in fact, drawn up such a list naming Antigua and Barbuda,” stated the diplomatic note obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

“The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has received no prior notice from any branch of the US Government regarding this matter, and thus, would be grateful for any official information the Department of State can provide,” it added.

The governments of the other Caribbean countries also expressed similar concerns with Castries saying that it had received no official communication from the US, while St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica said they were also seeking clarification.

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program

Basseterre said that since August 2022, it has maintained an open dialogue with the US government, particularly regarding reforms to its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, through which foreign investors receive citizenship of the Twin Island Federation in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the country.

St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica also have a similar CBI program, and the four countries recently announced closer collaboration among themselves and the United States to ensure the program is not abused by criminals and other undesirable investors.

Antigua and Barbuda also indicated that all applicants undergo rigorous vetting by recognized international agencies, including INTERPOL, to ensure that no one with a criminal background or current charges, including terrorism, is considered. (CMC)

Conclusion

The US Department of State has denied the existence of a draft travel ban list, despite reports from the New York Times suggesting that several Caribbean countries were included in a proposed list of countries facing potential travel restrictions. The Caribbean countries have expressed concern and sought clarification from the US government, and have maintained that they have not received any official communication regarding the matter.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the US Department of State’s stance on the draft travel ban list?

The US Department of State has denied the existence of a draft travel ban list.

Which Caribbean countries were reportedly included in the proposed list?

The New York Times reported that six Caribbean countries, namely St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts-Nevis, Cuba, and Haiti, were included in the proposed list.

What is the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program?

The CBI program is a program through which foreign investors receive citizenship of a country in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of that country.