Pacific Island Nations Worry Trump Deportations May Overwhelm Them

Latest stories

China could fill the gap 3 ways as West exits west Africa region

US-China: 'Cold War 2' or something worse DeepSeek's revelation was only a matter of time

One Tongan commentator suggested Trump's decision would“unleash a wave of deportees that could drown Tonga and other Pacific nations in crisis.”

Though some Tongan returnees are accepted back into families and societies, many struggle. A large number left the country when they were young and often have limited understanding of the local language and culture. As such, they experience difficulties reintegrating into society.

My research shows that some deported Pacific islanders with criminal histories may turn“back to what they know” in the absence of support, which at times means involvement in the drug trade if there are no other means of gainful employment.

In countries like Tonga where there is an escalating methamphetamine problem and a lack of employment opportunities, this is understandably concerning.

Tonga, like other Pacific countries, struggles to fund organizations that crucially assist with deported peoples' reintegration needs in order to prevent the risk of (re)offending. The countries deporting these individuals (such as the US, New Zealand or Australia) rarely provide any assistance, despite repeated requests from Pacific governments and non-governmental organizations.

Can these countries negotiate instead?

Countries can push back against Trump's decisions to deport their citizens. Colombia was the first to do so, when President Gustavo Petro initially refused to allow military planes carrying deported migrants to land.

Petro's refusal was met with fury in Washington . Trump threatened a number of retaliatory trade measures, prompting Petro to eventually relent.

Pacific states have previously tried to push back against deportations during the Covid pandemic. Samoa and Tonga, for instance, used diplomatic channels to request a“pause” on removals while they grappled with the unfolding health crisis.

Australia and New Zealand complied with the request, but the US did not. Instead, it used punitive measures to force states to continue receiving deportations.

For instance, the US blacklisted Samoan and Tongan nationals from the list of states eligible for seasonal work visas, affecting these countries' economies. They were not returned to the list until they“complied” with US removals.

International law mandates that countries accept their own citizens if they are deported. Those that refuse are deemed“deviant states”, which can cause problems for both the deporting state and returnees trapped in limbo.

However, there are other ways of delaying deportation orders.