Posted: Sunday, October 19, 2025. 8:52 am CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): Belize is preparing to enter into an agreement with the United States to serve as a “Safe Third Country” for asylum seekers, a move that has stirred national discussion and raised questions about migration policy and capacity. The announcement came from Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca, who detailed the government’s position and safeguards included in the draft agreement.
According to Minister Fonseca, the agreement ensures that Belize retains full control over who can be transferred to the country. “Under this agreement, asylum seekers in Belize will have their claims determined here. We are finalizing terms that include an unqualified veto over who is transferred, limits on nationalities, and a cap on the number of total transferees per year,” Fonseca said.
The deal also sets strict parameters; it will last two years, and either country can terminate or suspend it with written notice. Belize has also demanded financial and technical support from the US to strengthen local institutions managing asylum seekers. Fonseca emphasized that these protections are necessary, given Belize’s limited capacity to host and process large numbers of asylum cases.
While the agreement aims to align with international obligations, Fonseca made it clear that Belize’s national interest comes first. The government insisted on multiple safeguards to ensure that the arrangement does not compromise the country’s security or overwhelm its small-scale infrastructure.
The move marks a major policy shift, especially after the Prime Minister’s initial resistance earlier this year to accepting detainees or asylum seekers from abroad. However, with new conditions and guarantees in place, Belize appears ready to move forward, cautiously and on its own terms.
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The post Belize set to become a “Safe Third Country” under new US agreement appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Sunday, October 19, 2025. 8:52 am CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): Belize is preparing to enter into an agreement with the United States
The post Belize set to become a “Safe Third Country” under new US agreement appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
