Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

April 17, 2025 – Bahamian and Turks and Caicos travelers and other foreigners heading to the United States are being strongly advised to rethink what they post online, as new U.S. immigration measures take aim at antisemitic content and behavior.

This warning is just that and despite widespread reports, seemingly aimed at fearmongering, the US has informed that there is no ban on Caribbean people travelling to the States.

According to Citizen X, the origin of the concern is linked to credible media houses posting reports on a leaked list of 43 countries under review for “potential travel restrictions.”

Among them: Antigua and Barbuda; Dominica; St Kitts and Nevis and St Lucia.

“Eastern Caribbean States: Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Lucia are under a 60-day review period to address U.S. concerns about their citizenship-by-investment programs or potentially face visa restrictions,” explained the report.

But the U.S. State Department said in response to questions, “a review is not a ban.”

As of April 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will now screen social media for signs of antisemitism when evaluating immigration applications—including visas, green cards, and student permits. According to DHS, any content that appears to support or promote antisemitic ideologies or terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Houthis may be used to deny entry or immigration benefits.

Here is What You Should Not Do:

1. Do not post or share antisemitic content online. This includes memes, hashtags, retweets, or posts—past or present—that can be interpreted as supporting antisemitic rhetoric or violence.
2. Do not associate with antisemitic groups or protests. Online or physical association with groups flagged for antisemitism could raise red flags during border screening or immigration reviews.
3. Do not assume freedom of speech protects you abroad. While the First Amendment protects speech for U.S. citizens, it does not apply to foreign nationals seeking entry. The U.S. government has made it clear: advocating antisemitic views, even online, can lead to denial of entry or immigration benefits.
4. Do not delete your social media without understanding the consequences. Attempts to erase content may be viewed with suspicion. Authorities often use digital footprints in discretionary reviews, so transparency matters.
5. Do not ignore this new policy. Whether traveling as a tourist, student, or on business, your online activity is now part of your travel profile.

The U.S. Travel Association informs, this position has impacted travel decisions in the double digits.  Canada and Europeans are particularly coy.

The Toronto Star reports: On Tuesday, the Canadian Association of University Teachers issued a travel advisory to its members that “strongly recommends” Canadian academic staff travel to the United States only if necessary.

The CAUT represents 72,000 teachers, librarians, researchers, general staff and other academic professionals at some 125 universities and colleges across the country.

The increased scrutiny is compounded say some news reports by the so called, ‘trade war’

and tariff changes by the Trump Administration.

Yahoo!News: “Travellers from western Europe who stayed at least one night in the US fell by 17 per cent in March from a year ago, according to the International Trade Administration (ITA). US tourism from countries such as Ireland, Norway and Germany fell by more than a fifth in the same period.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials say this measure is in line with broader efforts to combat extremism and terrorism. Bahamians planning to travel or study in the U.S. are urged to audit their online presence and avoid engaging in or endorsing any form of hate speech.

In short, stay informed, stay respectful, and stay cautious—both online and offline.

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, April 9th, 2025 – The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (MECYS) has formally handed over the first out of thirteen sport facilities under her authority by signing the respective repair agreements as part of the Emergency Recovery Project I (ERP-I).

The facilities to be renovated include the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex, Jose Lake John Cooper Ball Park, Dutch Quarter Basketball Court, and others. This effort is part of a larger Trust Fund initiative to restore 12 school gyms and 13 sports facilities across the island, enhancing resilience and sustainability.

The agreements, signed by Minister of ECYS Melissa D. Gumbs and NRPB Director Claret Connor, ensure that repairs will proceed under structured oversight. The contractor appointed by the NRPB will execute the work, with quality control and adherence to timelines overseen by an engineering firm. The contractor has already taken possession of two facilities in Cole Bay and Cay Bay, marking the start of the physical work.

Minister Gumbs emphasized the significance of well-maintained sports centers in these localities: “These facilities are more than just buildings—they are community anchors where young people develop discipline, teamwork, and pride. Ensuring their full restoration is not only a matter of infrastructure but of national development. The Ministry remains steadfast in its commitment to providing safe, accessible, and high-quality spaces that support the well-being and aspirations of our athletes, students, and surrounding communities.”

NRPB Director Claret Connor noted that the project plays a critical role in Sint Maarten’s recovery and long-term resilience. “These repairs will not only extend the lifespan of the facilities but also contribute to the well-being of the community.”

The project is being implemented by the NRPB on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten, funded by the Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands and managed by the World Bank.

Photo Caption: 

1st insert: Contractors on site at the basketball court in Cay Bay

2nd insert: Fencing surrounding the basketball court in Cole Bay INSET BOTTOM:

Kingston, Jamaica, April 13, 2025 – Jamaica has partnered with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) to host a crucial workshop on the prohibition of nuclear weapons testing and use globally, in pursuit of a safer and more peaceful world.

The two-day workshop for State signatories from Latin America and the Caribbean is being held at the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade in downtown Kingston.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Thursday (April 3), Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, said the workshop, which is the culmination of weeks of collaborative planning, builds on a legacy of partnership, which includes a similar event held in Jamaica in 2002.

She commended the CTBTO for its steadfast commitment to global security and disarmament while highlighting its indispensable role in preventing nuclear testing.

“The significance of this workshop is even more pronounced in the current geopolitical landscape, where tensions and global instability have heightened concerns regarding nuclear security,” the Minister indicated.

She noted that the Latin American and Caribbean region has played a key role in global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament efforts.

“In fact, the region is leading by example as the only one of six regions to have achieved universalisation of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. This means that all 33 member states of this hemisphere have signed and ratified the treaty,” the Minister pointed out.                                                                                                                                                                                                          She said this overwhelming support underscores the recognition that nuclear security is fundamental to regional and global stability and reaffirms the region’s collective commitment to global security and the CTBTO.                                                                                                                                                                                                        “The prohibition of nuclear testing is not merely a disarmament objective. It is deeply interwoven with broader regional developmental ambitions and it accords with the 2014 Declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace,” Senator Johnson Smith stressed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The Minister outlined, further, that data and technological advancements facilitated by the CTBTO’s National Data Centres for All initiative is not limited to the monitoring of nuclear activity but can be used to the benefit of signatory states.

“The data may also be used to boast scientific research to support disaster preparedness, including tsunami early warning systems, as well as climate research and environmental monitoring, which are closely aligned with the region’s realization of the Sustainable Development Goals,” she pointed out.

Thirteen countries in the region host 43 monitoring facilities using seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and radionuclide technologies, which collect data that is then made available to states through the National Data Centres.

In the case of Jamaica, the Minister noted that the collaboration with the CTBTO has not only enhanced the country’s contribution to the global framework on nuclear testing but has also significantly strengthened the nation’s technical capabilities in crucial areas, such as disaster management.

Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations at CARICOM, Elizabeth Solomon, in her remarks said the imperative for the prohibition of nuclear weapons testing, use, and proliferation has never been more pressing.

“The politically fraught climate-changing landscape that we are called on to navigate and the escalation of conflicts directly or indirectly involving states in possession of nuclear weapons, have amplified concerns regarding the potential use of these weapons,” she pointed out.

The CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General said that the CTBTO workshop is timely and necessary given the urgency of enhancing countries’ awareness of nuclear weapons and the applicable legal regime.

She noted that CARICOM continues to do everything in its power to maintain the region as a zone of peace.

“CARICOM takes a strong stance against the transhipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea because of the possible negative effects of a nuclear accident on the delicate land and sea ecosystems of the Caribbean and the potential devastating effects this could have on the economies of our member states,” she outlined.

Contact: Donique Weston

Release: JIS