St. Kitts Could Feel the Impact of Trump’s Immigration Ban

Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas is of the view that President of the United States Donald Trump’s recent executive order regarding a travel ban from seven countries may have serious implications of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Last week Trump’s signed an executive order that blocks citizens of seven Middle Eastern countries from arriving in the USA for the next 90 days and suspends the admission of refugees for 120 days.

CNN reports that travelers who fit into the conditions for the sanctions and were already en route to the USA when the order came into effect were detained upon arrival on US soil while others were prevented from boarding planes to the USA.

Speaking on local radio Dr. Douglas indicated that such a ban in will have implication to St. Kitts and Nevis in regards to the traveling of economic citizens who are from the named countries as well as the students who are currently in the Federation furthering their studies from that region.

“Within one week of President taking office…we have seen an executive order that has changed the immigration policy in the United States of America, where about 130M people would have been affected in their travel in to the USA even those who are Green card or those who have residency status

He indicated that the question arises then how would it affect St. Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean.

“How will this affect black people and people of a different faith to that which we practice here in St. Kitts and Nevis and in the western world.”

Dr. Douglas reminded that one of the important pillars that drives the Federation’s economy is tourism and hospitality services and the sanctions could mean freedom of travel…into St. Kitts and Nevis from market areas tourist and visitors are coming from could be affected.

“Because of globalization a lot of the traffic and movement of these people would take them through the United States of America. Will this in anyway, impede the free flow and movement of people as tourist, and what about those who are resident here who contribute to about 15% of out GDP as a result of being students in our very many learning institutions here in St Kitts and Nevis and caters mostly to overseas students?”

Dr. Douglas question whether those students would also be impeded when traveling into and out of St. Kitts and Nevis if their route would normally take them through the USA.

He also enquired how it would be economic citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis if many of them would be impeded from traveling to the United States of America.

“Those in particular who are not only from those countries that have been named but who may have dual citizenship with regard to the citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis? How are they going to get into our country their new adopted land?”

Dr. Douglas explained that the reason for this ban being as disastrous as it stands is that even though one is the holder of a green card they came from the countries mentioned they will not be able enter.

“It is not a question anymore of having visa or green card. What we really hearing is that persons have been stopped at the airport and the borders once they were born or citizens of the countries mentioned even if they have travel documents that have been approved preciously, or even if they have served in the military, even those who are interpreters fighting with American troops in far lands as long as they were born in these countries they were now impeding their travel…to enter the USA.”

He also stated that he believes that the Citizenship by Investment Program will be affected.

“We do offer have a citizenship program where we do have dual citizenship. We have a lot of people from these countries also would have acquired citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis are they going to be impeded.”

The seven countries that received sanction from Trump order are Iran; Iraq; Syria; Sudan; Libya; Yemen and Somalia.

Source: The S. Kitts & Nevis Observer