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  • 6 months ago
The issue of deportation back to Trinidad and Tobago is not new, but it has shot into the spotlight once again, as several nationals were deported over the weekend.

Strategic Security Expert Garvin Heerah calls it a critical issue on many fronts for the country, especially as it pertains to how these deportations are being managed.

Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00Over time, people are deported from countries, including the United States.
00:05But with the Donald Trump administration taking a different approach
00:08and conducting deportation exercises en masse, TNT can potentially see an influx.
00:14In March, 11 TNT nationals were deported from the U.S.
00:18And then on May 24th, 17 more were deported.
00:21Of that number, three were detained.
00:24As some among the population expressed concern,
00:26strategic security expert Gavin Hira believes the reality now facing the country
00:31is not one to be taken lightly and should be dealt with holistically.
00:36This is a critical national security and social integration issue for Trinidad and Tobago.
00:42Deportees, especially those returned for serious criminal offenses like homicides,
00:48human trafficking, sexual offenses, gang affiliation,
00:50they would pose complex challenges that, as we know, would straddle the domains of public safety.
00:56Human rights, integration and rehabilitation.
01:00Hira says effective programs surrounding these areas must be considered by the authorities,
01:05such as the ministries of Homeland Security and Defense, among others,
01:09and are crucial in moving forward.
01:11Deportees with serious criminal backgrounds may return to Trinidad and Tobago
01:15with deep-seated anti-social behavior, may be involved in criminal networks,
01:21or just maybe, you know, trauma victims.
01:25And without intervention, there's a risk of recidivism.
01:29There's a risk of gang recruitment and destabilization in what we know as vulnerable communities.
01:35But Hira notes that cycles can be broken and reforms made through proper reintegration.
01:41He outlines that this can be beneficial to the country in areas such as the promotion of public safety,
01:47an increase in productivity and economic growth.
01:51He's of the view that it should push past policy and head into a legislative framework.
01:56So, yes, programs should be mandatory for this category of deportees,
02:00particularly in their initial six to 12 months of the return.
02:04This mandatory status should be supported, hopefully, by legislation under national security,
02:11homeland security, that is, or immigration reforms.
02:13Hira points to a multilayered approach to monitoring.
02:17Among his recommendations, the use of a centralized deportee unit for registration,
02:22mandatory vetting, psychosocial evaluations upon arrival,
02:27and further to that, a tiered system of high-to-low-risk deportees,
02:31with those deemed high-risk, being closely monitored.
02:34There should be community-based supervision, you know,
02:38assigned probably like a community reintegration officer,
02:41similar to what a parole officer would do.
02:44And there can be bi-weekly check-ins with random home visits for high-risk cases.
02:49And we cannot dismiss also the technological integration,
02:52use of electronic monitoring, for instance, for a period,
02:56you know, ankle bracelets for high-risk deportees.
02:59He also believes intelligence data-sharing agreements from the country of deportation
03:04should be part of the plan.
03:06Hira outlines strategies from international models.
03:09CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy, and that is for those with violent or sexual offenses.
03:14Anger management plays an important role, addiction counseling and trauma-informed care.
03:20You know, things like employment skills.
03:22In this regard, Hira says,
03:24the non-governmental organizations can be utilized in some aspects,
03:28as well as faith-based organizations for spiritual and psychosocial support.
03:33At the end of the day, they are our citizens,
03:36and we must ensure that the right duty of care is applied.
03:40Hira sees it as an opportunity for TNT to develop a good working model
03:44that is transparent and can be beneficial across CARICOM.
03:49Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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