The Antiguan government is closely watching potential changes in U.S. immigration policies under President Donald Trump, particularly regarding undocumented Antiguans and Barbudans living in the United States.

Trump’s proposals for stricter immigration measures, including the deportation of undocumented individuals and the potential revocation of birthright citizenship, have raised concerns about their impact on Antiguans and Barbudans abroad and the island’s ability to accommodate returnees.

Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office, Lionel Hurst, reassured citizens that deportation proceedings in the U.S. involve due process, including court hearings, which would delay any immediate arrivals of deportees to Antigua.

“Well, in the first place, the Trump administration knows that each person who is being deported from the United States is guaranteed a hearing before court. And therefore, we are looking at many months before even the first deportee would arrive in Antigua,” Hurst explained.

He said that while the government is not encouraging undocumented Antiguans in the U.S. to return home preemptively, provisions are in place to support returnees, including potential employment opportunities in the construction sector. “We are certain that many of these deportees have developed skills in the United States. They have committed no crime in Antigua and as a consequence, and in fact what they have done in the United States is not a criminal act, it’s against the civil rules. And we believe that many of those skills can be put to use.”

Concerns have also been raised about Trump’s proposal to revoke birthright citizenship, which could have serious implications for Antiguans and Barbudans born in the United States.

Hurst noted that while such a change is possible, it would require significant legal and constitutional hurdles to implement.

“This is a concern for virtually every country because the United States is such an important actor in trade and in national relations, that it is difficult to dismiss some of the statements made by the current United States president,” Hurst noted.

“Birthrights in the United States has been established since the 14th Amendment was signed more than 100 years ago. And here is a new president hoping to undo that by way of the stroke of a pen. And having studied law in the United States, I don’t believe that it can be achieved that way.”

“So I think what they’re doing really is trying to bring it before the courts. It will likely get to the Supreme Court at some point, the US Supreme Court at some point, maybe a year or two from now.”

He likened the situation to the historic Dred Scott decision, which denied African Americans U.S. citizenship until it was overturned by the 14th Amendment. Hurst expressed confidence that any attempt to revoke birthright citizenship would face similar scrutiny.