Palau agrees to host US deportees
- Admin
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
MOU signed; Washington sweetens the deal with new aid packages and a new Palau hospital
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Despite opposition from congressional leaders and the Council of Chiefs, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. has agreed to accept Washington’s proposal to relocate unwanted aliens to the Pacific island nation in exchange for supplemental aid and a new hospital.
Under the newly signed memorandum of understanding, Palau will receive $7.5 million in U.S. funding to defray the costs of hosting up to 75 third-country nationals, particularly for public services and infrastructure associated with resettlement.
Details of the agreement were fleshed out during Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau’s morning call to Whipps, according to Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department.
Pigott said the Palau-bound individuals have “no known criminal histories."
Whipps said the relocation plan involves “people seeking safety and stability,” coupled with “the serious migration pressures faced by the United States.”
According to the president’s office, the U.S. deportees can augment the domestic labor pool and help fill gaps in certain occupations.
“Palau would have to agree on a case-by-case basis as to individuals who will be arriving in Palau under the arrangement,” the president’s office said.
"Each person will be screened through Palau’s national working group, and the government will continue open communication with the OEK, traditional leaders, and the public as implementation proceeds,” it added.
Pigott said Landau called Whipps to "reaffirm the close U.S.-Palau partnership and underscore our nations’ shared resolve to address regional and global challenges together."
"They also highlighted U.S. commitments to partner with Palau on strengthening the country’s health care infrastructure, increasing Palau’s capacity to combat transnational crime and drug trafficking, and bolstering Palau’s civil service pension system," Pigott said in a statement.
The president’s office said Landau relayed the U.S.’s commitment to build a new Belau National Hospital.
“There is an ongoing feasibility study for the new hospital with funds granted through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency,” the president’s office said.
The Palau Congress and the Council of Chiefs have twice rejected the U.S. proposal to send its undesirable aliens to the island nation.
In an Oct. 3 letter, Senate President Hokkons Baules advised Whipps "against proceeding further on this matter only because of the practical issues that the introduction of the refugees would raise in our society."
Former President Tommy Remengesau said Whipps has not been authorized to pursue any agreement with Washington regarding hosting U.S. deportees.
Remengesau said the Council of Chiefs, of which he is a member, is not aware of any MOU related to the transfer of third-country nationals to Palau.
"There has not been any leadership meeting to date regarding deportees," he told the Pacific Island Times.
Palau is freely associated with the United States under the Compact of Free Association. The treaty guarantees Palau an $889 million economic bundle, disbursed over 20 years, in exchange for exclusive U.S. military access to land, airspace and waters.
The deportees-resettlement deal nets more U.S. packages for Palau, including an additional $6 million—on top of the previously granted $20 million—for pension system reform and $2 million for new law enforcement initiatives.
The U.S. will also fund a $500,000 initiative to build Palau’s investment screening capacity, vet foreign investments and block those that threaten U.S. military sites and Palau’s sovereignty.
Whipps and Landau also discussed the following items:
• The United States also reiterated its commitment to improving Palau’s capacity to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, with additional initiatives now being explored with Palau’s government.
• U.S. law enforcement advisor: A law enforcement and technical advisor for six months to support corruption cases and disrupt drug trafficking.
• Maritime security: A Maritime Domain Awareness advisor for six months to work with the U.S. Coast Guard and Palau maritime law enforcement agencies to strengthen shiprider operations and enforcement.
• Ongoing U.S. sanctions to disrupt Chinese organized crime, block malign businesses from buying land near U.S. defense sites, and target those enabling Chinese criminal activity and corruption.
• Cyber Security Advisor: A cybersecurity advisor to protect Palau’s information infrastructure from cybercriminal attacks.
• Customs/Immigration Assistance: Options under review include a U.S. border security expert for one year in Palau and technical systems to identify potential criminals at the border.
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