Over 90,000 Caribbean nationals are among the 1.4 million noncitizens in the United States who have been ordered deported but remain in the country, according to data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as of November 2024.
These numbers have likely increased since then, however, the new Donald Trump administration has already begun conducting mass deportation raids across major cities in the United States.
The ICE data highlights individuals from countries across the Caribbean, including Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and others.
While these Caribbean countries account for a significant portion of individuals with deportation orders, the bulk of the 1.4 million people in ICE’s non-detained docket are from Latin American countries. Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala are the top countries of origin for individuals ordered to be removed, with the following numbers:
- El Salvador: 203,822
- Honduras: 261,651
- Guatemala: 253,413
- Mexico: 252,044
The majority of these individuals received final orders for removal from U.S. immigration judges, but were not in ICE custody as of late last year. This has raised questions about the agency’s ability to follow through on these deportations, especially as the number of those with removal orders continues to grow.
“ICE is unable to provide a list of case-specific reasons why the agency is unable to remove certain noncitizens on the non-detained docket with final orders,” a statement from ICE reads. “There are several reasons why ICE is unable to effectuate removals.”
One factor is that many of these individuals may pursue legal avenues to avoid deportation, including seeking asylum or protection under international human rights laws. “Noncitizens may pursue a form of relief or protection from removal, which may include asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. If a noncitizen is granted any form of relief from removal, ICE is unable to effectuate the removal,” the agency explained.
Another significant obstacle is the lack of cooperation from certain foreign governments, including some in the Caribbean. “The U.S. Government believes every country is obligated to accept the return of its citizens and nationals who are ineligible to remain in the United States. Lack of cooperation from the foreign government delays and, in many cases, inhibits the removal process,” ICE said.
Lack of cooperation from countries in accepting the return of their nationals may lead to ICE classifying those countries as uncooperative or at risk of non-compliance by the agency.
Currently, ICE classifies Cuba as the only “uncooperative” Caribbean nation in terms of deportation cooperation, along with 14 other nations including Bhutan, Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Laos, Pakistan, China, Russia, Somalia, and Venezuela.
Other Caribbean nations such as Jamaica and St. Lucia are listed as “at risk of non-compliance,” alongside Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Gabon, Gambia, Iraq, Nicaragua, South Sudan, and Vietnam.
The breakdown of Caribbean nationals with final orders for removal is as follows:
- Bahamas: 426
- Haiti: 32,363
- Jamaica: 5,120
- Cuba: 42,084
- Guyana: 1,236
- Barbados: 151
- Dominica: 104
- Grenada: 149
- Belize: 899
- Bermuda: 10
- British Virgin Islands: 5
- Cayman Islands: 2
- Guadeloupe: 12
- Aruba: 2
- Montserrat: 8
- Trinidad and Tobago: 1,197
- Dominican Republic: 12,699
- St. Kitts and Nevis: 68
- St. Lucia: 202
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines: 127
