West African reportedly removed from US-bound flight in Trinidad and will be sent back to Antigua and Barbuda
Yet another African has been intercepted in another island in his bid to get to the United States of America (USA), a legal source tells REAL News.
The source alleges that, on Sunday, March 5, a national of Ghana boarded a flight to Trinidad, which was en route to the USA. On arrival in Trinidad, his passport was checked and it was discovered that he did not have a visa to enter an American port.
Reportedly, the source says, he has been detained in Trinidad and is expected to be returned to Antigua on March 9.
Meanwhile, other sources have confirmed to our Newsroom that six Cameroonians had been detained here after they were caught trying to leave Antigua and Barbuda on fake Ghanaian passports.
However, these sources claim that, after being held for one week at the Immigration Department’s Detention Centre, orders were given – reportedly by a Government minister – to release them, pending further investigation.
The sources tell our Newsroom that they – as law-enforcement officers charged with border security – are “alarmed at what is going in Immigration,” especially because the stranded West Africans are being allowed to find employment here.
“If they are traveling on fake documents, it means we don’t even know who these persons really are. We don’t know anything about their character. We don’t know if they had a criminal record back home. And they are getting jobs here!” one concerned officer says.
“Even people who are born here – right here in Antigua – have to show proof of who they are to get a driver’s license; they need a clean police record to get a job. How come we’re taking such chances here with strangers?” another one asks, shaking her head.
They tell REAL News the rationale being offered – about “kinship” to the West Africans – is “pure excuse. So Trinidad and Barbados and Grenada and Suriname don’t know about ‘African brothers and sisters,’ too? Is only us here in Antigua looking family?” they ask.
