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Last night, we told you how police crackdown on crime in the Cayo area led them to discover 2 men who have links to the notorious Central American gangs, Calle 18, and MS-13.

There’s a growing concern that criminals from the neighboring countries - which make up the so called northern triangle of Central America - have slowly taken up roots in Belize.  So, when the press had an opportunity to speak with the Substantive Immigration Minister, Godwin Hulse, the topic was brought up. 

He said that this issue, as well as the bigger matter of Central American migration into Belize, has been made a priority for the Government:

Reporter
"You have a lot of people coming into Belize, specifically, from Central American countries. Some of them have a past, a criminal past."

Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of Immigration
"We’ve formed, a month ago, a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Migration, which I chair. And the idea was to be able to sit down with the Ministry of National Security, of course, the Ministry of Immigration, and the Ministry of Human Development to be able to look at this issue. There were 2 things that jumped at us that we’re concerned about, the ICE flights coming from the US, and the US policy with respect to migrants. We don’t know where that’s gonna go. But the other issue, which is the mass migration op., that is why we created the committee, to begin to look at all the possibilities, should we get a rush at the border point. Because if we got a rush-â€￾

Reporter
"They are trickling in, Minister."

Hon. Godwin Hulse
"Well, trickling in is another matter, but a rush is what we have to deal with. Trickling in, we’re able to handle; we’re able to return; we’re able to deal with all of that. It goes beyond that though. We’re also looking seriously at this whole issue of citizenship, rights, and protection. Because from where I sit - and I continue to maintain this without apologies - we could have, in Belize, 5 million people. That’s fine. They contribute to the economy. They work. They purchase things. Whatever they do, they don’t have to be citizens, because it is the citizenship issue that this minister is concerned about. We don’t have to make people citizens. That is what is important, and if you’ve noticed, over the years, we’ve tried to tighten it up and tighten it up. We’ve moved from legislation which was ordinarily resident to that you have to be a permanent resident now, and for 5 years now, before you can even apply. And becoming a permanent resident is not an easy thing in Belize."

Reporter
"I know of communities in the Cayo District where people are reporting that a lot of illegal migrants are coming in, dealing in drugs, not working, targeting citizens who are working. And then, you have the situation with the gangs and so in the fringe areas of Belmopan. And that’s a very big concern."

Hon. Godwin Hulse
"Yes, but the police and the immigration authorities are continuously pursuing these people. There are raids going on all the time. And there are people being OTL’d all the time, and people being deported all the time."