By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
A chartered aircraft carrying seven Guyanese nationals deported from the United States landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
The aircraft, which made a brief stop in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, first disembarked 23 individuals there before continuing to Guyana. Upon landing, six men and one woman were immediately taken into custody by local police and escorted to Georgetown.
The group was expected to be processed at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) before being released. At this time, the identities of the deportees and the reasons for their deportation have not been made public.
The issue of mass deportation from the United States had been previously raised during a January 23, 2025, press conference by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who acknowledged that the Guyanese government is obligated to accept its nationals.
“If they’re Guyanese, then they don’t have a choice but to take them back,” Jagdeo stated. “What are we going to do? Refuse to take our people back?”
This marks the first known group of Guyanese deported since U.S. President Donald Trump announced the implementation of a major crackdown on illegal immigration, promising the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.
“From day one, I will seal the border and begin the largest domestic deportation operation in the history of our country,” Trump said during a campaign appearance.
This developing situation has raised concerns about transparency and the support systems available for returning nationals who may require reintegration services.
