Is there a looming crackdown on Guyanese migrants?

Jun 12, 2025 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Kaieteur News – The diplomatic note arrived quietly, but its message rang loudly: the United States government has signalled a tougher stance on illegal immigration. Guyanese nationals have been explicitly put on notice.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a public advisory on the contents of the note — a stark reminder that those entering or remaining in the U.S. unlawfully face arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, fines, and deportation. The timing is telling, the tone is stern, and the implications are unsettling.

But one question hangs heavily in the air: was this diplomatic note sent to Guyana alone?

This is no small matter. If similar notes were dispatched to other countries, then perhaps this is just a broad sweep — a new immigration directive sent down from Washington as part of President Donald Trump’s reinstated policies. But if only Guyana or Guyana and a handful of countries received this warning, then we are looking at something more pointed, more specific- and more troubling.

Why Guyana?

One possibility is that the United States has identified Guyanese nationals as a disproportionately large part of the illegal immigrant population. While our country may not make international headlines for migrant caravans or border dramas, there has been a steady and quiet stream of Guyanese leaving the country, overstaying visas, entering illegally, or being smuggled through routes in Central America and Mexico.

The U.S. may be seeing this pattern emerge with sufficient clarity and frequency to consider Guyana a priority. A red flag, if you will. The issuance of a formal diplomatic note — not a general advisory or press statement — adds gravity to the message. This is not a whisper in a hallway. It’s an official record in bilateral relations.

If the note was targeted solely at Guyana, then the subtext is that U.S. authorities are preparing to act. And in fact, the signs are already there. Just days ago, a small group of seven deportees arrived in Guyana. Each had a criminal record. It may have seemed routine, barely a footnote in the news cycle. But considering this diplomatic note, it now reads like the beginning of a wave. Deportations may rise. The U.S. might be preparing to send back droves of Guyanese.

Crucially, the note doesn’t limit itself to criminal aliens. It extends to all those unlawfully present — including those who overstayed visas or entered without authorisation. These are not hardened criminals. Many are just people trying to make a better life. People working, studying, surviving. But the new U.S. tone is unequivocal: unlawful presence is itself an offence worth prosecuting.

The consequences could be far-reaching.

First, the pace of deportations could increase. We may soon see a higher volume of returnees, many of whom have no ties left here, no jobs, no support systems. Their reintegration will not be easy. They may become vulnerable, frustrated, or even prone to desperation. Our social infrastructure is not prepared for this kind of return migration.

Second, U.S. immigration policy may tighten further — not just for illegal entrants but for legal applicants too. Immigrant visas could become harder to obtain. Scrutiny may deepen. One result could be a growing sense of hopelessness among young people who see emigration as their only viable option for advancement. If legal pathways are closed and illegal ones punished, what future is left for them here?

Third, the diplomatic relationship between Guyana and the U.S. may shift subtly. There is no public evidence of strain, but this kind of note — with its unilateral tone and legal threats — does not emerge in a vacuum. It reflects some degree of concern, perhaps even frustration. It is hard to imagine this level of official communication without intelligence assessments or policy deliberations pointing to Guyana as a source of a growing problem.

And yet, the Ministry’s advisory urges Guyanese nationals “currently residing in the United States illegally” to “depart immediately.” That is not standard language. That is a government echoing the voice of another, conveying the message that people should leave now — before it gets worse.

The human cost of this policy shift will not be small. Lives are about to be upended. Families will be torn between borders. Children may be separated from parents. Deportees may return to a homeland they barely know. And those hoping to leave legally may find the door shutting faster than expected.

Guyana must ask itself: Is it ready for this?

But before we get there, we need clarity. Was this message sent to other nations? Or were we singled out?

If we alone received this warning, or if we and a handful of nations did, it means the U.S. has cast its gaze directly upon us. If so, the storm is coming — and we have been warned.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

diplomatic, Guyanese migrants, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peeping Tom

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