Pacific Island Nations Fear Outcome of New Deportation Policy

The governments of Pacific Islands nations appear concerned over a document which suggests at least 561 former citizens of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa are at criminal risk of deportation from the US under returning President Donald Trump's administration.

Immigration raids across the nation are set to affect 1.4 million foreign residents living in the US, who have overstayed their visas or are non-citizens with criminal histories.

President Trump is holding firm to his campaign promise of conducting arguably ever the biggest mass deportations for what is termed undocumented immigrants.

The revelation comes after what appeared to be a document compiled by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations was released to limited media showing a list that included 353 Fijian nationals, 151 Tongans and 57 Samoans.

The document said the deportees were people with removable non-citizen status, who are being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention.

One of the first news sources to publicize the document MSN News, said one of its American-based correspondents had sighted the list that was entitled: 'Noncitizens on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship'.

The document also includes five deportees from Papua New Guinea, three from the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, two from French Polynesia and one each from Tuvalu and Vanuatu does not specify the categories or the types of deportees involved.

Other reports in US media added the arrests by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities appear to remain along the lines of "routine operations" and not part of a larger-scale raid in any one place.

President Trump's designated border "czar", Tom Homan, told Fox News on Wednesday the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted hundreds of arrests so far across the nation.

The arrested unauthorized immigrants are set to be placed on a number of deportation flights flown out on US military aircrafts.

Tonga is particularly concerned that a potential influx of criminals deported may worsen the kingdom's struggle against sophisticated drug crime-related activities.

Many sitting in power believe these issues are already being exacerbated by experienced deported criminals, who are already in the country.

It was estimated around 30 convicted criminals have been deported to Tonga every year since 2010.

Reports indicate Malapo's Hu'atolitoli Prison and its psychiatric facility are facing an increasing issue of overcrowding and that Tonga would not be able to cope with more former residents.

Suggestions have been made the country could require assistance from third parties such as New Zealand or even Australia.

Many of the patients being treated in the psychiatric facility have been victims of illicit drug use.

One Tongan political commentator, Melino Maka, said that among the island country of little more than 100,000 residents, President Trump's promise is set to "unleash a wave of deportees that could drown Tonga and other Pacific nations in crisis".

Though some Tongan returnees will be accepted back into families and their societies, others are predicted to struggle.

A large number Fijian detainees left the country when they were very young, one report says, and often have a limited understanding of the Fijian language and its local culture.

Prominent Fijian lawyer Dorsami Naidu said President Trump's threats have invoked fear.

"We've had lots of people, who have served prison sentences in America, get sent back to Fiji, where they introduce different kinds of criminal activities that they are well-groomed in," Mr Naidu said.

Senior Fijian minister Pio Tikoduadua said in terms of nationals being repatriated, it would be a matter in which Foreign Affairs will take the lead.

Fiji and its partner law agencies do share information and they are aware of Fijian citizens – especially those who were being deported – have engaged in any illicit acts.

"If someone has already registered in the US justice system as a drug offender, we will know this person," Mr. Tikoduadua said.

"We have networks that share information, but it will be nice if the Americans tell us if they are putting them on the plane to come here."

Research fellow, Henrietta McNeill, at the Australian National University in Canberra, said there are dire warnings ahead of damage to many of the traditional ways of life throughout the islands.

"My research shows that some deported Pacific islanders with criminal histories may turn 'back to what they know' in the absence of support, which at times means involvement in the drug trade if there are no other means of gainful employment," MS McNeill said.