The deportee programme — Aubrey Retemyer — Opinion

The deportee programme

September 20, 2026·2 min read

Published in

Kaieteur News ·Sep 20, 2026

Dear Editor,

I am writing to express my disgust and disappointment concerning the recent arrival of non-Guyanese nationals who were deported from the United States into our country Friday 4th September, 2026. It marks a dark chapter for our nation’s sovereignty, transparency, independence and democracy. The government had no choice but to accept the controversial third country deportation programme formulated by the U.S. government^[1]. Despite President Irfaan Ali boasting about Guyana’s sovereignty and independence, his administration was allegedly bullied by the U.S. to accept the first batch of four deported Cuban and two Afghan nationals^[2] who recently arrived in Guyana.

Public assurances from Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and President Irfaan Ali^[1] that the Cuban and Afghan nationals underwent a thorough and rigorous vetting process and were cleared of criminal records and were deported from the United States solely for visa violations were false. The President and the Foreign Secretary have explicitly denied that the six deportees were criminals. However, information has come to light that this might not be so.

How can Guyanese trust this government, which is shrouded in secrecy, cover-ups and does not believe that it is accountable to anyone. In fact, many senior public officials, including some ministers, believe that they are above the laws of the country.

What is most egregious is the endless dishonesty, lack of accountability and the absence of transparency from the Ali government which has baffled the Guyanese people and caused them not to trust the government. Guyanese found out about the Cuban and Afghan arrivals only after they had already landed on our soil. The decision by the government to bypass public consultation and keep the citizens uninformed is unacceptable, disrespectful and arrogant and a clear violation of the rights of every Guyanese citizen.

The people have demanded clarity and the immediate end or suspension of the third country deportation agreement between the Donald Trump administration and the Irfaan Ali government. Many felt that they were misled and betrayed by President Ali. Guyanese, including some in the administration do not believe the President or Foreign Secretary and have demand an independent verification process of the backgrounds of all foreign nationals before they are brough to Guyana. Would the government heed the demands of the public? The answer is no.

Regards,
Aubrey Retemyer

References

Guyana accepts six U.S. deportees from Afghanistan and Cuba - Kaieteur News — kaieteurnewsonline.com ↩
Cuban and Afghan immigrants deported from US under Trump arrive in Guyana | Migration News | Al Jazeera — www.aljazeera.com ↩

Published in

Kaieteur News ·Sep 20, 2026

Guyana accepts six U.S. deportees from Afghanistan and Cuba - Kaieteur News ... ## Guyana accepts six U.S. deportees from Afghanistan and Cuba Sep 06, 2026 News ... (Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana has finalised a migration cooperation agreement with the United States under which the country will receive a limited, vetted group of non-criminal, skilled individuals through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. ... The agreement marks the immediate rollout of a temporary third-country deportation mechanism, with an initial cohort of six deportees with four originating from Cuba and two from Afghanistan arriving in Guyana on Friday. Official sources confirmed to Kaieteur News that the newly inked bilateral framework agreement carries an initial duration of one year. ... The deal outlines a temporary arrangement for individuals who voluntarily opt for relocation to Guyana while awaiting the final determination of their immigration status. Under the agreed terms, the United States Government will bear the complete financial burden of the relocation exercise. The operational execution of the framework falls directly under the IOM, the UN Migration Agency. ... reception, housing, basic support, and social integration services for ... . These services include facilitating regular, private contact ... members. The administration reaffirmed that Guyana will incur no financial liability. Furthermore, the IOM confirmed that the ... of the state’s official legal duties ... immigration admission, protection, legal stay, or deportation. ... The Government maintained that it holds total sovereignty over who enters the country under ... pact. Guyana retains complete veto power to review and deny any individual put forward by US authorities. Only individuals who explicitly consent to relocate to Guyana of their own free will and meet strict non-criminal and skill criteria will be admitted. ... Addressing public concerns, the official government statement clarified that the arrangement operates under strict parameters and does not offer open-ended residency or permanent resettlement. “Individuals relocated to Guyana under the Assisted Voluntary Return Programme do so voluntarily and will await the outcome of their immigration status determination while in Guyana,” the statement detailed. “Depending on the outcome, individuals will either return to their country of origin or relocate elsewhere of their choosing.” ... Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told Al Jazeera that a group of Cuban and Afghan nationals had arrived in Guyana on Saturday, after being deported due to immigration issues. “The US has not made any further requests” for non-citizen deportations to be sent to Guyana at this time, Persaud told The Associated Press news agency. None had criminal backgrounds, according to Persaud. The removals are part of an ongoing campaign under Trump, who promised during his 2024 re-election bid to engineer the “largest deportation programme of criminals in the history of America”. ... Persaud said that Guyana reached an agreement with the US to receive deportees after months of negotiations. The human rights nonprofit Amnesty International estimates that more than 30 countries have entered into such agreements since Trump returned to office, including 15 in the Americas region. The deal with Guyana will last for one year and does not constitute permanent resettlement, Persaud said. ... Third-country deportations involve sending foreign nationals to places outside of their country of origin. Deportees often have no familiarity with the country they are sent to and sometimes do not even speak the language. The Trump administration has sought to expand the use of third-country deportations. It has struck agreements with a range of countries around the world, including several as far afield as Africa. Some of the deals have involved multimillion-dollar payments.

Guyana accepts six U.S. deportees from Afghanistan and Cuba

kaieteurnewsonline.com · 2026-09-06

## Guyana accepts six U.S. deportees from Afghanistan and Cuba Sep 06, 2026 News ... (Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana has finalised a migration cooperation agreement with the United States under which the country will receive a limited, vetted group of non-criminal, skilled individuals through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. ... The agreement marks the immediate rollout of a temporary third-country deportation mechanism, with an initial cohort of six deportees with four originating from Cuba and two from Afghanistan arriving in Guyana on Friday. Official sources confirmed to Kaieteur News that the newly inked bilateral framework agreement carries an initial duration of one year. ... The IOM will fund and manage the reception, housing, basic support, and social integration services for the relocated individuals. These services include facilitating regular, private contact with legal representation and family members. The administration reaffirmed that Guyana will incur no financial liability. Furthermore, the IOM confirmed that the arrangement does not transfer any of the state’s official legal duties concerning immigration admission, protection, legal stay, or deportation. ... The Government maintained that it holds total sovereignty over who enters the country under the pact. Guyana retains complete veto power to review and deny any individual put forward by US authorities. Only individuals who explicitly consent to relocate to Guyana of their own free will and meet strict non-criminal and skill criteria will be admitted. ... Addressing public concerns, the official government statement clarified that the arrangement operates under strict parameters and does not offer open-ended residency or permanent resettlement. “Individuals relocated to Guyana under the Assisted Voluntary Return Programme do so voluntarily and will await the outcome of their immigration status determination while in Guyana,” the statement detailed. “Depending on the outcome, individuals will either return to their country of origin or relocate elsewhere of their choosing.” ... President Irfaan Ali’s administration framed the framework as a continuation of Guyana’s international human rights obligations. Relocated individuals will maintain the right to seek international protection where applicable. In such cases, the IOM will coordinate directly with Guyanese agencies and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to manage referrals. The framework reflects the deepening bilateral partnership between Georgetown and Washington, which has expanded across trade, national security, investment, energy, and diplomatic initiatives. The Government stated it will continue to work alongside the IOM, UNHCR, and local civil society bodies to ensure full compliance with domestic laws, international treaties, and national development agendas. ... Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told Al Jazeera that a group of Cuban and Afghan nationals had arrived in Guyana on Saturday, after being deported due to immigration issues. “The US has not made any further requests” for non-citizen deportations to be sent to Guyana at this time, Persaud told The Associated Press news agency. None had criminal backgrounds, according to Persaud. The removals are part of an ongoing campaign under Trump, who promised during his 2024 re-election bid to engineer the “largest deportation programme of criminals in the history of America”. ... Persaud said that Guyana reached an agreement with the US to receive deportees after months of negotiations. The human rights nonprofit Amnesty International estimates that more than 30 countries have entered into such agreements since Trump returned to office, including 15 in the Americas region. The deal with Guyana will last for one year and does not constitute permanent resettlement, Persaud said.