US, Caricom sign landmark border security pact

The United States and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) have signed a significant Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to bolster border security through a Biometric Data Sharing Partnership. The agreement, signed in Washington by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Under Secretary Rob Law and Caricom Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) Executive Director Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, establishes the first multilateral biometric information-sharing arrangement for DHS. This partnership aims to strengthen cooperation on border security and immigration vetting between the U.S. and Caricom member states. Representatives from several Caribbean nations, including St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada, attended the signing ceremony. The MOC provides a framework for automated data exchanges to screen, vet, and investigate individuals who might pose security or immigration risks to the U.S. and Caricom states. It also addresses concerns related to Eastern Caribbean Citizenship-by-Investment programs, noting that such "purchased citizenship" can be used to bypass travel restrictions or conceal identities. The DHS stated that information shared through this program will enhance vetting practices and mitigate risks identified in a recent U.S. Presidential Proclamation. Both DHS and Caricom IMPACS intend to make the MOC operational by the end of the year, marking a substantial step by Caribbean nations to align with U.S. border security standards.

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The signing of this memorandum of cooperation marks DHS’s first multilateral biometric information-sharing arrangement.