CARICOM government representatives meet to draft regional counter-smuggling of migrants legislation

RECENT DATA from the Caribbean has suggested that there have been increases in the number of migrants being smuggled around the region. To address these changing and concerning trends, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), hosted a one-of-a-kind meeting on drafting legislation to counter migrant smuggling in the region that can respond to regional and national needs.

The two-day meeting from April 26-27, was hosted in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and had 25 Caribbean government officials in attendance.

Representatives included officials from immigration and customs departments, and attorneys general offices as both have vital roles in drafting legislation of this type, a release from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states.

Additionally, the forum corresponded with the meeting of the IMPACS Standing Committee of Chief Immigration and Customs Comptrollers held the following day. The co-ordination and implementation of both meetings were seen as significant steps towards formulating legislative and practical pathways towards the enforcement of counter-smuggling of migrants’ mechanisms in the CARICOM region.

IOM Regional Director for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, Michelle Klein-Solomon, in her opening remarks underscored the importance of hosting such a significant forum of government officials to address pressing issues on migration in the region. And, IOM Program Support Officer, Brendan Tarnay, who provided further remarks on her behalf noted that a gathering of this magnitude shows the commitment of CARICOM and national governments to realising the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM), particularly Objective 9 to strengthen the transitional response to smuggling of migrants.

“It is particularly promising for those who have been put into situations of vulnerability due to these networks,” said Tarnay, “as Caribbean States aim to ensure that smuggled migrants do not become liable to criminal prosecution having been the object

of smuggling.”

He noted that this would need to balance respect for countries’ legal systems while ensuring that responses are in accordance with international law.

Trinidad and Tobago’s deputy director of the International Affairs Unit at the Ministry of National Security, Richard Lynch, echoed the importance of the meeting in achieving the objectives of the GCM.

“…This endeavour will further advance the region’s compliance with the UN Convention on Transitional Organised Crime and effect the protocol on the smuggling of migrants by land, sea, and air,” Lynch said.

The meeting included a review of a model counter- smuggling of migrants’ legislation that was developed in 2021, in addition to agreeing on the next steps towards advancing legislation at a national level, its operationalization and the development of standard operating procedures. Discussions were facilitated by several skilled migration specialists from within and outside the region.

Countries were invited to share their experiences, challenges, and good practices on counter-smuggling of migrants. In-depth discussions also highlighted the linkages between smuggling of migrants and related crimes of human, drug and arms trafficking. Subsequently, participants paid special attention to compliance with the Protocol Against Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air, which has been signed by all Caribbean States except for St Lucia. Attention to compliance was also given to the GCM and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10.7.

This forum was made possible through IOM’s Western Hemisphere Program (WHP), funded by the United States Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).