Visa-free travel for the Caribbean? (crime rate, cost, country, jobs)
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What do you think of the idea of visa-free travel for Caribbean passports in the US? I don't think it would have an flood-gate effect. Most English Caribbean islands already have visa-free entry in the EU with the exception of Jamaica. The Caribbean, both Spanish and English, don't have divergent social norms from US culture, and the diaspora already have established identities and stakes here, so it's not like there's concern for US cultural dilution . NYC and Miami are already home to millions of Caribbean expatriates. Besides, there's no safety risk. These regions are relatively safe, so travelers aren't a threat to national security. In fact, the US VIs have higher murder rates than the independent Caribbean states.
The only country in the Caribbean that could use a visa-free entry into the US program is Haiti. That country is in worse economic/social shape than most of Sub-Saharan Africa but with the added 'benefit' of extreme overpopulation and widespread ecological disaster due to stupid policies that in the 20th century stripped 99% of the rainforest. The result is a country with much lower agricultural yields than it had before (and a gigantic rural population trying to scratch a livig from the degraded land) and a degree of underdevelopment that it would take 100 consecutive years of economic growth at 7% for Haiti to reach the level of development that neighboring Dominican Republic currently has.
Other things working against Haiti is that none of its immediate neighbors are economically, social, or politically mature enough to be able to assume Haiti as a problem that they can fix. There is a greater likelihood that Haiti would drag them down instead.
We all know the US will not be doing anything of the sort for Haiti. That thousands of Haitians died side by side Almericans during its war of independence seems to not even matter (most people are not even aware of this.) The only country in this hemisphere than can truly turn Haiti around with a combined plan of easier migration access and a Marshall type of economic plan is the USA and that is simply not going to happen.
The only country in the Caribbean that could use a visa-free entry into the US program is Haiti. That country is in worse economic/social shape than most of Sub-Saharan Africa but with the added 'benefit' of extreme overpopulation and widespread ecological disaster due to stupid policies that in the 20th century stripped 99% of the rainforest. The result is a country with much lower agricultural yields than it had before (and a gigantic rural population trying to scratch a livig from the degraded land) and a degree of underdevelopment that it would take 100 consecutive years of economic growth at 7% for Haiti to reach the level of development that neighboring Dominican Republic currently has.
Other things working against Haiti is that none of its immediate neighbors are economically, social, or politically mature enough to be able to assume Haiti as a problem that they can fix. There is a greater likelihood that Haiti would drag them down instead.
We all know the US will not be doing anything of the sort for Haiti. That thousands of Haitians died side by side Almericans during its war of independence seems to not even matter (most people are not even aware of this.) The only country in this hemisphere than can truly turn Haiti around with a combined plan of easier migration access and a Marshall type of economic plan is the USA and that is simply not going to happen.
What do you think of the idea of visa-free travel for Caribbean passports in the US? I don't think it would have an flood-gate effect. Most English Caribbean islands already have visa-free entry in the EU with the exception of Jamaica. The Caribbean, both Spanish and English, don't have divergent social norms from US culture, and the diaspora already have established identities and stakes here, so it's not like there's concern for US cultural dilution . NYC and Miami are already home to millions of Caribbean expatriates. Besides, there's no safety risk. These regions are relatively safe, so travelers aren't a threat to national security. In fact, the US VIs have higher murder rates than the independent Caribbean states.
The flood gates will be opened for loads to take off to the USA. NOT going to happen. Granted that the USA isn't as well perceived as it used to be, but many would still try to remain illegally were there no visa requirement.
The UK is no longer attractive to most Caribbean people so they don't need visas for Caribbean visitors.
Requiring a visa has nothing to do with "cultural similarities" or "safety" but has to do with keeping our country free from freeloaders and people who will take jobs from Americans and legal residents. Many country's in the Caribbean are poor so if we just let everybody in who wanted to come, many would not return home? Before I married my wife she would visit as a tourist. To get that tourist visa was pretty difficult. She needed an interview at the US embassy in Costa Rica and had to bring documents proving that she had a steady income producing job, a house in her name, a car in her name and a bank account with money in it. All things to guide in their decision that she had a reason to return to her home in Costa Rica.
I am all for that process in third world country's. I'm sorry but Haiti (as 1 example) is a poor, undeveloped country full of crime. I don't want them, or anybody else from some poor undeveloped crime ridden island to be able to openly visit here unless they have been checked out and it has been proven that they have a reason to return. I'll say the same about Europeans. The difference is, just like in the USA, odds are pretty good that the average person in many European country's who comes up with the funds to buy a ticket to the US probably has strong ties and a good career in their country making their trip just a vacation. In other words, it is an ASSUMPTION that they have the means to pay for the trip without taking on work and have a reason to go back home, therefore, many first world nations have visa free travel permission.
And it's not just us. I have taken many trips around the carribean and assorted latin American country's and with my US passport have never had a problem and never had them check my cash. I know and have seen many latinos, at the customs windows, get asked to show them their cash. Not enough (usually $500) and they are detained and on the next plane out!
We have a bad enough problem with illegals. Why open the door for more to flood in?
Requiring a visa has nothing to do with "cultural similarities" or "safety" but has to do with keeping our country free from freeloaders and people who will take jobs from Americans and legal residents. Many country's in the Caribbean are poor so if we just let everybody in who wanted to come, many would not return home? Before I married my wife she would visit as a tourist. To get that tourist visa was pretty difficult. She needed an interview at the US embassy in Costa Rica and had to bring documents proving that she had a steady income producing job, a house in her name, a car in her name and a bank account with money in it. All things to guide in their decision that she had a reason to return to her home in Costa Rica.
I am all for that process in third world country's. I'm sorry but Haiti (as 1 example) is a poor, undeveloped country full of crime. I don't want them, or anybody else from some poor undeveloped crime ridden island to be able to openly visit here unless they have been checked out and it has been proven that they have a reason to return. I'll say the same about Europeans. The difference is, just like in the USA, odds are pretty good that the average person in many European country's who comes up with the funds to buy a ticket to the US probably has strong ties and a good career in their country making their trip just a vacation. In other words, it is an ASSUMPTION that they have the means to pay for the trip without taking on work and have a reason to go back home, therefore, many first world nations have visa free travel permission.
And it's not just us. I have taken many trips around the carribean and assorted latin American country's and with my US passport have never had a problem and never had them check my cash. I know and have seen many latinos, at the customs windows, get asked to show them their cash. Not enough (usually $500) and they are detained and on the next plane out!
We have a bad enough problem with illegals. Why open the door for more to flood in?
I'm not in favor of opening the flood gates for the entire world, but for select regions. The Caribbean is not a risk region, so I wouldn't mind if Caribbean citizens are granted visa free access to the US. The amount of those willing to migrate to the US wouldn't have a visible effect.
Yes, and Puerto Rico and the US VI have higher homicide rates than the Independent Caribbean.
Not the whole independent Caribbean, but USVI is higher than most. Puerto Rico is in the middle. People just dont hear about them because they are territories. They talk about some of the independent nations and then visit the US territories as though they are better. The.highest homicide rates in the world are in Central America though.
I wouldn't mind visa free travel to the US for passport holders from the smaller Caribbean nations (i.e. St. Kitts or Antigua). Perhaps I'd be open to some or all of the larger nations as well; I'd have to study the issue more, though. From what I understand, though, its really not difficult to obtain a visa to the US from many of the Caribbean countries as is; sure, its not expensive, but if you have a passport, a visa fee shouldn't doom your trip.
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