“Fighting Like Hell”: Caribbean Officials Respond to Renewed US Travel Ban

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“We will not be bullied”: Caribbean leaders push back as US targets CBI nations with possible travel bans.

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Caribbean governments have defended their citizenship by investment (CBI) programs after a US State Department memo revealed plans to impose travel restrictions on 36 countries, including four Caribbean CBI jurisdictions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the memo, giving affected countries 60 days to address what the administration calls “deficiencies” in document security, data sharing, and visa overstays.

The directive explicitly targets “the availability of citizenship by monetary investment without a requirement of residency” as grounds for potential restrictions.

Antigua Responds Defiantly

Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene delivered the most forceful response, declaring that his government would be “fighting like hell” to defend the CBI program.

Speaking at the University of the West Indies, Greene rejected the proposed restrictions outright.

“We will not be bullied; our foreign policy is one of principle,” Greene emphasized. “They want to impose travel restrictions on us; for what reason, God only knows.”

Greene defended the integrity of Antigua’s CBI operations, specifically backing Citizenship by Investment Unit CEO Charmaine Donovan. He praised Donovan and her team as “people of impeccable character” and insisted that “this nation’s integrity is not to be questioned where their work is concerned.”

The foreign minister expressed confidence in his government’s ability to defend the program, noting that the CBI brings many “benefits to Antigua and Barbuda, and that it is operated with integrity.” He believes that any senior civil servant in the country could “defend the CBI,” given its transparent operations.

Antigua launched its CBI program in 2013, requiring a minimum investment of $230,000, and the program has become a crucial revenue stream for the government’s development projects and public services.

Saint Lucia Denies Official Contact

Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre took a more diplomatic approach while firmly rejecting the reported restrictions. Pierre emphasized that his government has received no formal communication from Washington regarding the alleged travel ban.

The government wants to “make it absolutely clear that the government of St Lucia has received no official correspondence on this matter,” Pierre declared on his Facebook page.

The prime minister noted that the blacklist issue “did not come up” during his recent meeting with Secretary of State Rubio as part of a regional delegation.

He defended Saint Lucia’s due diligence procedures, claiming they have prevented any passport-related scandals. His government’s vetting process is “so thorough that those who faced rejection were previously flagged, and there has been no scandal surrounding our passports.”

Pierre highlighted ongoing cooperation with international partners, noting his government has “continuously engaged in negotiations and discussions with both the Americans and Europeans regarding our CIP program.”

He emphasized that “joint legislation is in progress, spearheaded by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank,” and his administration remains “committed to ensuring our CIP program is transparent and accountable.”

The prime minister expressed willingness to make further adjustments to address concerns, insisting Saint Lucia is “prepared to refine our program to enhance its acceptance because we understand the benefits of the CIP program.”

Pierre also shifted blame for controversial program changes to the previous United Workers Party administration, noting that his Saint Lucia Labour Party government had originally implemented strict criteria, including a 500-passport cap and net-worth requirements.

The problematic changes were “initiated and executed by the United Workers Party regime, which removed the net-worth requirement and the 500-passport cap.”

Saint Kitts Takes Measured Stance

Saint Kitts and Nevis adopted a more cautious response, acknowledging the reports while emphasizing the absence of official communication. The government released a statement confirming that “no official correspondence or communication has been received from the United States Government” regarding any travel ban targeting the federation’s citizens.

Despite the lack of formal notice, Saint Kitts officials expressed concern about the mere circulation of such reports. The government is “actively engaging its diplomatic and international partners to determine the source, credibility, and veracity of the claims now in circulation,” according to the official statement.

The federation emphasized its commitment to “maintaining strong and respectful relations with the United States” while prioritizing the “protection of our citizens, at home and abroad.”

Dominica Remains Silent

Unlike its regional counterparts, Dominica has not issued any official government response to the leaked memo.

The country’s leadership has remained notably silent on the matter despite the State Department directive naming it alongside the other Caribbean CBI jurisdictions.

US Confirms Potential Ban

Questions about the memo’s authenticity ended when State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed during a Tuesday press briefing that the Trump administration is indeed considering travel restrictions for the 36 countries.

Bruce outlined the administration’s concerns about passport vetting processes and the need for countries to accept deported nationals.

The US is “looking at providing a period of time” for countries to address deficiencies, Bruce explained. Nations that fail to reach the point “where we can trust them” must “change the system, update it, do whatever they need to do to convince us that we can trust the process.”

She emphasized that the restrictions focus on “very specific aspects about whether or not the United States feels it can trust the information we rely on various countries for to determine whether or not they will get a visa.”

The administration has given affected countries until Wednesday to submit initial action plans, though Bruce clarified that countries will have “a considerable amount of time to rectify whatever the situation is” before any restrictions take effect.