by Linda Straker
- Grenada received 40 deportees from US between 2019 to 2024
- 197 nationals including 5 minors and 12 seniors returned as deportees between 2020 and 2024
- Increase in US deportation numbers anticipated because of Trump Administration’s mass deportation initiative
Between 2020 and 2024, data from the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) revealed that 197 nationals returned to Grenada as deportees, with the highest number coming from the United Kingdom (UK).
A review of the data showed 143 males and 54 females, with some of them falling within the low age group of 0 to 18 years (minors), and the high age group of 60 plus years (senior citizens). There were 5 and 12 people for each age group.
The data showed that 61 Grenadians were deported from the UK, while 41 were deported from the United States of America, and 16 from Canada over the same period.
Within the region, there were 43 deportees from Trinidad and Tobago, 20 from St Vincent and the Grenadines, 3 from Barbados, 2 from the French territory of Martinique and one each from Sweden, Aruba, St Lucia and St Maarten.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency’s annual report shows the number of people who are deported to each country. From 2019 to 2024, the report showed that Grenada received 40 deportees. Reports from other territories, such as Canada and the UK, cannot be found online.
It is understood that the UK primarily deports foreign nationals serving prison sentences or who have committed offences and are subject to deportation, while in Canada, individuals, including those with failed asylum claims, have been deported to Grenada.
It is anticipated that the deportation numbers from the US will increase in 2025 because of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation initiative. In February 2025, Joseph Andall, Foreign Affairs Minister, confirmed Grenada received communications from that administration that several Grenadians were scheduled for deportation, without providing a number. “We did get communication from them towards the end of January that they will probably be repatriating or deporting Grenadian citizens. They also spoke about the consequences of countries not wanting to receive their nationals,” he said.
“Grenada is home to all Grenadians, and we are prepared and ready to welcome back any Grenadian who is repatriated, regardless of their circumstances. Of course, there may be some with particular background that you may have to give particular attention to, but we have every intention of accepting bona fide Grenadians who are repatriated from whatever country,” Andall added.
Confirming that it is not unusual for Grenada to receive deportees from the diaspora, Andall said, “Deportation and repatriation, there is nothing new about that from the United States. If you look at the records, you will see a couple of hundred people have been repatriated from the US, Canada and the UK without any fanfare.”
