Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a firm warning to undocumented immigrants living in Antigua and Barbuda, urging them to regularise their status before the current amnesty period ends or risk deportation.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show on Saturday, Browne said the Government has provided another opportunity for non-nationals living in the country illegally to bring their immigration status into compliance with the law.

The amnesty period is scheduled to end on September 30.

The Prime Minister warned that individuals who fail to take advantage of the initiative could be removed from the country once the deadline passes.

According to Browne, the matter extends beyond immigration enforcement and carries significant national-security implications. He said the Government must have accurate information about who is residing in Antigua and Barbuda, particularly amid concerns that some people wanted for serious crimes overseas may be hiding within local communities.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Lisborn Michael disclosed that law-enforcement officers have apprehended individuals in Antigua and Barbuda who were wanted for murder and other serious offences in foreign jurisdictions. Those individuals were subsequently returned to their respective countries.

Browne said the discovery of suspected criminals living in the country reinforces the need for every immigrant to ensure that their status is legal and up to date.

“That is why we say that every single immigrant in this country must bring his or her status up to date. We have to step up now. We have to know who is in the country, and if you are here illegally and you are not making a contribution to nation-building, you go back to whence you came,” he declared.

The Prime Minister insisted that the Government’s position should not be interpreted as hostility towards immigrants, noting that his administration has provided several opportunities for undocumented residents to regularise their status.

However, he said stronger enforcement is now necessary because criminal elements may be using immigrant communities to conceal their activities.

“I’m told there is a particular nationality that controls much of the drugs on the island, and I understand that criminals from other Caribbean territories are hiding here, but we are going to have to weed them out,” Browne said.

He encouraged undocumented residents who qualify to regularise their status to begin the process before the amnesty expires.