Washington: A new deal between the United States and Belize (a Central American nation with Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and dense jungle to the west) has redrawn the map for asylum seekers heading north. The two countries have signed what is known as a “safe third country” agreement, a pact that allows the United States to transfer migrants who request asylum to Belize instead of processing their request on American soil.
The signing marks another major step in President Donald Trump’s plan to curb asylum applications and expand mass deportations. The agreement was sealed on Monday, with Belize calling it an act “grounded in the commitment of states to cooperate under the 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees”.
Its government posted on Meta, “The Agreement reinforces Belize’s commitment to international law and humanitarian principles while ensuring strong national safeguards.”
The US State Department celebrated the move as “an important milestone in ending illegal immigration, shutting down abuse of our nation’s asylum system and reinforcing our shared commitment to tackling challenges in our hemisphere together”.
What The ‘Safe Third Country’ Deal Means
Under this framework, migrants seeking asylum in the United States could be sent to Belize, where they must apply for protection instead. As framed by Washington, the logic is that asylum seekers should claim refuge in the first safe country they reach.
In exchange, Belize will reportedly receive financial and technical assistance to strengthen its border management and asylum systems. The details of the aid and how transfers will work remain under wraps.
Belize insists it will keep tight control over who enters its borders. Officials said the country will have “an absolute veto over transfers, with restrictions on nationalities, a cap on transferees and comprehensive security screenings”.
“No person who is deemed to be a threat to the public safety or national security will be allowed to enter or stay in Belize,” the government said.
The agreement still needs approval from the Belize Senate before implementation.
Why The US Is Doing This
Since returning to office, Trump has revived his earlier strategy of pushing third-party countries to accept migrants. Nearly a dozen nations, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Eswatini, Mexico, Panama, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda, have already agreed to take in US deportees.
Guatemala recently received its first flight carrying non-citizens deported from the United States.
The Trump administration argues that such agreements help relieve pressure on the US asylum system, especially in cases where migrants cannot safely return home or their countries refuse to take them back.
Why It’s Controversial
Human rights groups and migration experts have long warned that these “safe third country” arrangements are anything but safe.
In practice, deportees sent to nations such as Eswatini and South Sudan have reportedly faced jail, abuse and denial of due process. Lawyers for several deported men say they were imprisoned without trial.
Critics say the United States is outsourcing its asylum responsibilities to smaller and poorer nations that lack the resources to ensure humane conditions or fair hearings. They argue that such deals violate the spirit, and sometimes, the letter of international law.
Some also warn of the danger of proximity: asylum seekers fleeing persecution may be placed in neighbouring countries where their original threats still exist.
Belize Pushes Back
Facing skepticism, Belize has tried to present the deal as a controlled humanitarian effort. Officials stress that the country will only take in limited numbers of migrants under strict screening rules.
Still, opposition voices have emerged. Tracy Taegar Panton, a Belizean opposition leader, questioned whether her country can meet international standards for a “safe” designation.
“To be designated a ‘Safe Third Country’, Belize must demonstrate that it can guarantee human rights protections and provide a high standard of care, including access to housing, healthcare, legal representation and social services for asylum seekers,” she wrote.
“The reality, however, is stark. Our immigration and asylum systems are understaffed, underfunded and overwhelmed,” she said, adding that “Belize cannot and must not be used as a dumping ground for individuals other countries refuse to accept”.
What Comes Next
The deal’s future depends on Belize’s Senate approval. If passed, the small Caribbean nation will become the newest node in Trump’s global deportation network, a system of partner countries willing to take in migrants the United States turns away.
Critics see it as a dangerous precedent. Supporters frame it as smart diplomacy.
For now, the world watches to see if Belize, a country of just over 400,000 people, can shoulder a role that even much larger nations have struggled to bear.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
