Source: St Lucia Times
The United States has expanded its travel restrictions to cover 20 more countries and the Palestinian Authority, a move that now includes Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda among the affected nations and marks a deepening shift in US migration and travel policy.
The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that the new measures, which the White House said are intended “to protect the security of the United States,” will take effect on January 1.
The latest expansion places a full travel ban on citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, as well as individuals travelling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. At the same time, partial restrictions have been imposed on nationals of 15 other countries, including the two Caribbean nations.
Those facing partial restrictions are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Under the policy, exemptions apply to lawful permanent residents of the US, individuals who already hold valid visas, and specific visa categories such as diplomats and athletes. People whose entry is deemed to serve US national interests are also excluded.
In response to the latest announcement, both Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda said they are seeking clarification from US authorities on the scope and implications of the restrictions.
Dominica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “understands the concern this announcement may cause and wishes to reassure all Dominicans that this matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness and urgency”.
The ministry said the government is “actively engaging officials of the United States Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, to obtain formal clarification on the scope of the measures, the basis on which they were taken and the specific implications for Dominican travellers, students, families and other legitimate holders of US visas”.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne also addressed the issue in an official statement, signalling direct diplomatic outreach to Washington.
“I am writing directly to President Donald J. Trump and to the 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,” Browne said.
Both CARICOM nations stressed that engagement is ongoing as they seek clarity on how the new restrictions will affect their citizens.