Overview
- Belize says it retains an absolute veto on transfers, with nationality restrictions, a cap on numbers, and comprehensive security screenings.
- The State Department’s Western Hemisphere bureau praised the pact as a milestone in curbing illegal immigration and asylum abuse.
- Officials in Belize emphasized that no one deemed a public safety or national security threat would be allowed to enter or remain.
- The accord is part of a wider U.S. push that recently included a similar agreement with Paraguay and deportation arrangements with Eswatini, Rwanda and South Sudan, as well as flights to Panama and Costa Rica.
- Critics in Belize, including opposition leader Tracy Taegar Panton, warn the deal could strain the country’s asylum system and finances, and the government notes operational details and potential U.S. assistance have yet to be finalized.