Regional/International - Channel 5 Belize

What’s the Plan for Accepting Deported Belizeans?

The Trump administration is moving forward with deporting individuals they consider undesirable, sending many who are in the U.S. illegally back to their home countries. Prime Minister John Briceño has stated that Belize is ready to welcome back Belizeans being repatriated, but the big question is, what’s the plan for helping them settle back into society?

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“We do know that that is a policy decision of the new Trump administration and so we do expect some deportees to be coming back, not necessarily violent offenders… One criminal gone, five more grow up the next day. It’s not how this works. Migration has happened since the Seventies and Eighties, it continues to this day, and I know you need a reason to explain away the numbers, but this is a fact of life and yes, we have to prepare ourselves for the deportations.”

Isani Cayetano

“What preparations are we speaking of, in terms of being able to perhaps deal with those who have a criminal past in the United States and are sent back home?”

Kareem Musa

“Well, we are going to deal with whether they have a criminal past here in Belize or if they are pending charges. For instance, I believe Ellis Meighan is one of them. If there are others then we will, if there is enough evidence, then those individuals will be charged. And so, the police department obviously has a roster of these individuals that they will be keeping an eye on and, if necessary, charge upon their return.”

Mayor Wagnor Welcomes Deportees Back to Work in Belize

Despite rumors, the Government of Belize has made it clear that they are not opening borders to non-Belizean deportees. However, Prime Minister John Briceño has warmly welcomed all Belizeans back home. Supporting this sentiment, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner assured that there are jobs waiting for the returning deportees.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“I would say, like what my Prime Minister said, we welcome them back. We have a lot of vacancies here in Belize. Jobs, jobs, jobs – employers need workers, and so I will echo my prime minister. We welcome them back.”

Trump Orders Migrant Detention Center at Guantánamo Bay

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to expand a detention facility at the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to hold up to 30,000 deported immigrants.

The order directs the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security to prepare the facility to detain “the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.” Trump justified the move by claiming that some individuals are too dangerous to return to their home countries.

The Guantánamo base already houses a little-known migrant detention center, separate from the high-security prison for terrorism suspects. Reports indicate that as of February 2024, four people were being held there under secretive conditions.

Trump announced the plan while signing the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes. The act is named after a Georgia nursing student murdered in 2023 by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant.

The executive order stated that expanding the Guantánamo facility is part of efforts to “halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty.” Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has implemented a series of aggressive immigration measures, including declaring a national emergency, deploying troops to the southern border, and suspending refugee resettlement.

Cuba’s government condemned the move, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla calling it a “contemptuous” violation of international law. President Miguel Díaz-Canel labeled the plan “an act of brutality.”

Police Department Prepares for Influx of Deportees

On Monday, Donald Trump was sworn in as the forty-seventh president of the United States. Known for his strict stance on immigration, Trump plans to deport all illegal immigrants from U.S. soil. This mass deportation will affect many Central American nationals, including those from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize. The Belize Police Department is preparing for the return of several wanted criminals who had fled to the U.S. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams assured that the department is ready to receive all deportees and outlined the protocols that will be in place upon their arrival back in Belize.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Once you get a deportee coming in, we get a notice that the deportee will be coming in on certain flights. And that information comes to me. I send that information to GI3 then goes to the airport and meet that person when they get off the flight. That person is then taken into an office, interviewed by immigration. From there, they’re brought to Belize City to the GI3 office where they go through the process as a deportee. They’ll be issued a letter instructing them that they are to report to the police station in the area where they reside. Either once or twice a week for a certain period of time, if it is that they are to change the address while they are reporting, they have an obligation to ensure that they report to the police that they have changed the address. If as a part of that deporting process as well, they’re not supposed to hang out with any person who are of criminal background. So there are several things that comes with being a deportee while reporting and we ensure that those issues are stipulated by law,bthat they are followed to the T. So once a deportee, for example, changes his address without notifying GI3, that deportee can be charged criminally and taken before the court”

Paul Lopez

“Does police anticipate an influx?”

Chester Williams

“Well, obviously we have heard the news from the new President of the United States that they’ll be rounding up people and they’ll be sending them back home. So, we are expecting that, yes, certain people will be brought back home. And as I’ve said before, there are some of these people who are wanted by the police for record. Crimes they have been accused of committing and we’re waiting for them. Once they land at the airport We’ll be there to receive them and they go through the process.”

What Does Trump’s Order on Financial Aid Mean for Belize?

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, many of which will directly and indirectly impact Belizeans. One notable order will temporarily halt US aid to foreign countries until certain policies are revised. We asked Prime Minister Briceño how he thinks this order will affect the financial support Belize receives from the US. He was also asked for his thoughts on the appointment of a US Chargé d’Affaires instead of an ambassador.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We do not get a lot of financial assistance from the U.S. We were awarded and signed a contract with the Millenium Corporation, MCC. The MCC is a private entity, not a government entity. But it is funded by the U.S. Government. So, when we signed a compact that money had already been set aside. So, I believe we will be fine. We will still have access to that money. So, whether the MCC will get more funding for signing other compacts in other countries I hope it could be worked out, because I think MCC is doing a great job in different countries, and we are excited to work with them in education and energy.”

Reporter

“Should we be offended that we are now with a Charge’ and not an ambassador?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“That is for their country to decide. We have been without an ambassador. I am told that Bahamas from 2012 did not have an ambassador and finally Hershel Walker the football player has been nominated to be ambassador. It is up to them. We hope they put an ambassador. I am sure the people close to Donald Trump will realize that there is an opening to come to Belize.”

Belizean Family Loses Home and Belongings in LA Fires

A Belizean woman who has been living in Los Angeles for the past twenty-five years has lost her home and everything she and her two children owned in the raging fires that have been burning. Anaceli Mendez made a video recording to share with us the sequence of events leading up to and just after her home was gutted by the blaze. She shared that just before the fires, they experienced strong winds that knocked down trees and her fence. The night before her house was destroyed, her neighbour woke her and her son, and she believes that was what saved them from getting burnt in the blaze. Her daughter was at college several miles away, she said. An evacuation order was given for the families in her area early the following morning, but by that time, she and her son had already left with just overnight clothing that they had packed. She said they drove for miles looking for a hotel, and even though their prices were inflated, there was no room. She said they drove for hours and then they got the awful news.

Anaceli Mendez, LA Fire Victim

“We get evacuated from here at three-forty in the morning. Everybody jumps in their car, and we drive far. All the hotels there, everything booked, everything packed up. And, so you just continue to drive till you can find a hotel. All hotel prices are two hundred and forty U.S. dollars minimum for a night. They just want to raise the prices for everything because they don’t see the situation, right? So then they try and make their dollars work. I end up a good probably thirty miles away. And, the next day we get the notification, or like the confirmation that our house burnt down. I live on a property that had three houses. All three houses gone down. All three families, we packed just overnight stuff, if as much. Everything gone. We were never ready for this. We never think this will happen. It looked like the gates of hell opened because we did drive, and the winds were sixty to eighty miles, and they beat down on the pan, and we did try to drive on the freeway, and you can see all the fire, like the wind blows it towards the car, so you feel the car is not even stable, you feel the car move. I can’t take pictures; I can’t take videos because I feel like I would lose control of the car. It’s sad to see everybody who they are going through right now. It’s sad to see everything. Back here they still have everything locked up. They have the National Guard, and we can’t go up; we can’t even have a little last closure. All I want right now is to just go up and see if maybe pictures survive, anything. I just lost my pa one year ago, and to think that I lose him all over again, but this time, it’s for good because I don’t have pictures; I don’t have anything. My son lost his school. My son lost everything in the house. So we have a life, and we appreciate that, you know.”

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown: What It Means for Belizeans in the U.S.

Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, and his administration is already focusing on immigration reform. A major immigration raid is set to begin in Chicago, home to a significant Belizean community, targeting over 300 individuals with violent crime histories. Advocates are concerned the raids could also affect individuals without criminal records or with legal status. The Belizean government has stated it will only accept deportees who are confirmed Belizean citizens, unlike Guatemala, which is considering broader acceptance of deportees. And the possibility of Belizean criminals hiding in the US may be deported is welcomed news, says Police Commissioner Chester Williams.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“It’s a historic moment for America and certainly world is watching. The world is waiting to see what is gonna happen. In terms of people who may be sent back to Belize. We will wait to see who will be coming back. We certainly are looking forward to certain people coming back that are wanted by the police to face charges here in Belize, so we welcome that.”

Palestinian Delegation Meets with Prime Minister

After arriving in Belize on Tuesday, a Palestinian delegation met with Prime Minister John Briceño today. Leading the three-member team is Mohamed Salam, the Commissioner of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Coordinator of the Anti-Apartheid Department. The delegation was invited by Nancy Marin, the Leader of the Belize People’s Front, who has Palestinian roots herself. She filled us in on their meeting with the PM and shared details about the rest of their visit.

On the Phone: Nancy Marin, Leader, Belize People’s Front

“There were several requests made, of course, and we make requests to the PM as we will to the public. Some of it is with the boycott of products, of things that we would like the public to stop buying products from Israel, because it’s what fuels the war and other things. It will have to be up to the Prime Minister to disclose, but I can tell you that because this is one that we’re going to be asking the Belizean public as well. The PM of course, could not commit to anything. His support is committed to the Palestinians as we all know, in the international course they have. They agreed that they would be speaking for Palestine. It would be – and as they have been doing, but as far as other requests that was made, the PM would have to consult with Cabinet with the House of Representatives as the process is, so he couldn’t commit to anything and we were not expecting him to. Mostly it was a cordial visit that we just wanted to meet, establish communication and that kind of thing. So, no, no commitments have been made. Today, of course, we met with Prime Minister Musa and his family along with Minister Musa and then we just finished a meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow.”

Marion Ali

“What are all these meetings designed at achieving?”

On the Phone: Nancy Marin

“We’re trying to establish support, exchange of ideas. I’m thanking them because when Prime Minister Barrow was in office, he did voice support for Palestine as he reconfirmed with us today in support for Palestine. Of course, Prime Minister Musa and his family are Palestinians and have been very vocal about their support for Palestine. So the entire visit was designed to be a familiarization visit of Belize and all our officials and so that Mr. Mohammed can get to know our people, our culture, and establish communications with people in authority.”

Israeli has sent a note to the U.S requesting to extend the date for the ceasefire.

No Meeting Between PLO Commissioner and Belize’s Foreign Minister

As we mentioned, PLO Commissioner Mohamed Salam touched down in Belize on Monday, invited by Belize People’s Front founder Nancy Marin. Salam, who also coordinates the PLO’s Anti-Apartheid Department, has a packed schedule, including a meeting with Prime Minister John Briceno earlier today. Interestingly, though, Salam isn’t scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca. When we caught up with Fonseca on Wednesday, we asked if there were any plans for a courtesy call with Salam.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“I have no plans to, I have not been informed of any meeting. So, I don’t know much about it. I think I received a message from someone about it, but we have no official meeting scheduled.”

Trinidad and Tobago Extends State of Emergency Amid Rising Violence

The State of Emergency (SoE) in Trinidad and Tobago has been extended for three months following a parliamentary decision late Monday night. The extension was approved after Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley raised the motion, which was debated by both government members and the opposition.

The SoE, initially declared on December 30, was enacted after the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service provided credible intelligence about the likelihood of reprisal killings following a mass shooting in Laventille that weekend. The original declaration, set for 15 days, required parliamentary approval for any extension.

During the debate, Prime Minister Rowley explained that the SoE did not restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens.

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds reported significant results from the SoE’s implementation. He noted that the country recorded 12 murders so far in 2025, representing a 50% reduction compared to the same period in 2024.

Hinds also confirmed that 137 individuals remained in custody out of more than 500 detained during SoE operations. He assured citizens that the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force was actively patrolling communities, with plans to increase their presence in the coming days.