Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the government will intensify efforts to identify undocumented immigrants and remove foreign nationals involved in criminal activity from Antigua and Barbuda.

Browne made the declaration during the Browne and Browne Show as senior police officials discussed the arrest of people in Antigua and Barbuda who were wanted for murder in other countries.

Police said those suspects had since been returned to their respective jurisdictions.

Browne said the cases highlighted the need for the authorities to maintain accurate information on foreign nationals living in the country.

“Every single immigrant in this country must bring his or her time up to date,” Browne said. “We have to know precisely who is in the country.”

The prime minister warned that undocumented immigrants who are not contributing to the country’s development could be required to leave.

“If you’re here illegally and you’re not making a contribution to nation-building, you go from whence you came,” he said.

Browne insisted that the policy was not an attack on the immigrant community, acknowledging that foreign nationals have played an important role in Antigua and Barbuda’s development.

He said his administration has treated immigrants fairly and respects the contributions they have made alongside citizens.

However, Browne alleged that some foreign criminals are using Antigua and Barbuda as a base for illegal activities, including drug trafficking. He also said the government had received information that people wanted for crimes in other Caribbean countries could be hiding locally.

“We are going to make sure we weed them out,” Browne said. “We have to keep this country safe and secure.”

A senior police official also called for greater cooperation among regional law enforcement agencies and stronger background checks on people entering Antigua and Barbuda.

The official said some recent robberies appeared to reflect methods and weapons associated with crimes committed in other Caribbean jurisdictions.

No timetable or specific new tracking system was announced, but Browne’s remarks indicated that immigration enforcement and the screening of foreign nationals would form part of the government’s broader response to violent crime.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda Vows to Deport Foreign Criminals and Tighten Checks on Undocumented Migrants.