Fijian deportation talks begin

Conversations have already started regarding the potential deportation of Fijians from the United States.

This was revealed yesterday by the Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua.

His comments come after U.S President Donald Trump announced a round up of illegal immigrants, including drug offenders, sex offenders, and individuals with criminal records, for deportation.

Speaking to the media, Mr Tikoduadua said the discussions had started, emphasising that these issues don’t happen in isolation.

“So, like I said, you know, probably a better question than is posed to the ministry of foreign affairs. But in law and order, I tell you we talk to each other, we talk to law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Criminal tracking

Mr Tikoduadua said authorities were already aware of Fijians, along with people from other Pacific nations like Samoa, who are involved in criminal activities, particularly drug dealing, in the United States.

“We know names of people who, in America, are dealing drugs and have been taken in. And there are Fijians, not only Fijians, Samoans. So, we keep track of this, you know. And if they do travel, we know that they are coming.”

“We have networks that share information, but it will be nice if the Americans tell us if they are putting them on the plane to come here,” Mr Tikoduadua said.

While discussions on deportation are ongoing, the minister emphasised that repatriation is primarily managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also noted that, based on news reports, the U.S does not always notify countries in advance of deportations.

“So, there have been situations where people have been sent home, and countries have tried to stop their place from landing,” he said.

Mr Tikoduadua stressed the importance of knowing when individuals with criminal backgrounds, especially those involved in drugs, are being deported.

He said this information would allow local authorities to prepare for their return.

Despite the challenges, Mr Tikoduadua reiterated that information sharing between law enforcement agencies was a priority.

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