Azruddin Mohamed warns that accepting foreign nationals under Trump administration deal will strain already-stretched infrastructure and services.
Guyana’s opposition leader has joined growing calls for transparency around the country’s agreement with the Trump administration to accept deportees from the United States, according to reporting from Kaieteur News. Azruddin Mohamed contends that accepting foreign nationals under the arrangement will compound existing pressures on Guyana’s healthcare, electricity, security, water and food systems—infrastructure already stretched thin by domestic demand.
Under what the Guyanese government has termed the “Assisted Voluntary Return Programme,” Guyana has become one of more than 30 nations to sign migration cooperation frameworks with the U.S. The country has already received six Cuban and Afghan nationals under a one-year arrangement. According to the government’s statement, individuals relocated to Guyana will await resolution of their immigration cases and may ultimately return to their country of origin or be resettled elsewhere.
Mohamed has raised particular concerns about the government’s ability to track and monitor incoming individuals, noting that Guyanese authorities lack accurate counts of undocumented migrants already in the country. He told Kaieteur News that citizens deserve to know the background and details of those arriving, and indicated he plans to raise the matter in parliament upon reconvening. “This is so that we can all be aware of who is coming into our country,” Mohamed stated, emphasizing the security implications of porous borders and inadequate migrant tracking.
APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul has similarly questioned whether Guyana possesses the institutional capacity to properly manage the programme, arguing that while the nation can assist people in need, citizens must not be deprioritized. “Guyanese must not come last in Guyana,” Mahipaul declared.
The Guyanese government has framed the arrangement as consistent with the nation’s commitment to human rights and international cooperation. According to official statements, the International Organisation for Migration will handle operational implementation and bear all costs associated with receiving, housing and supporting relocated individuals. The government retains discretion to review and reject any proposed individual, and those relocated will retain rights to seek international protection through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees where applicable.
Guyana’s migration cooperation framework with the United States represents an extension of bilateral partnership under President Irfaan Ali’s administration, spanning energy, trade, investment, security and diplomatic cooperation. The arrangement is temporary and does not constitute permanent resettlement; individuals are expected to either return to their country of origin or relocate elsewhere depending on immigration status determination outcomes.
This development affects Guyanese citizens directly and reflects broader regional dynamics around U.S. immigration policy and deportation arrangements. The debate over Guyana’s capacity to absorb foreign nationals while managing domestic challenges resonates across the Caribbean, where similar pressures on infrastructure and public services are common concerns.
Written & Edited by Orlyn Edwards. Published by Caribbean Air Force Media.
Category: News · Island routing: Guyana