Cubans and Afghans deported from US arrive in Guyana

Georgetown, Guyana (AP) — Guyana's government announced on Saturday the arrival of the first of six deportees from the United States under the Trump administration's third-country deportation program. Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud revealed that the group, comprising nationals from Cuba and Afghanistan, had arrived in Guyana on Friday, following a vetting process by the administration and a determination that the deportees had no criminal history.

Persaud explained that the six individuals were removed from the U.S. primarily due to immigration issues. The agreement to host the deportees was reached after months of negotiations. Persaud assured that the U.S. has not made any additional requests and that the arrangement will last for one year, without indicating permanent resettlement.

The Assisted Voluntary Return Program will oversee the deportees until their immigration status is determined. They may return to their home country or be resettled elsewhere. The U.N. International Organization for Migration is responsible for implementing the program, and Guyana will not cover any housing or support costs for the deportees.

Guyana, as a founding member of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, joins other countries such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, and St. Lucia, which have also accepted small groups of U.S. deportees.