We turn now to the Briceno Government's decision to launch an amnesty program for irregular migrants who have called Belize their home for many years. In order to allow those migrants - estimated to be in the tens of thousands - an opportunity to legally gain nationality, the Government has to amend the Belize Nationality Act.
That Amendment Bill was tabled today by Prime Minister Briceno, and here's what he had to say about the estimated number of new citizens who could apply for their documents during this amnesty period:
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"It is important for the Belizean people to understand the decision or the reason for this decision. Over the past decade or so, there has been a significant increase in migration, both legal and illegal, throughout the world, including Central America. According to the World Migrant Report, 2020 - and I quote that report - several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have undergone considerable population change over the last decade. All the top 20 countries experienced an increase in the size of their populations during this period with the largest proportional population changes occurring in Central America. Belize had the largest percentage change and its population increased by 24% from 2009 to 2019."
"Using the figures from the two amnesties, And the 2010 estimate, the Ministry of Immigration estimates that the number of irregular migrants in Belize in 2022 would be approximately 40 to 60,000 migrants. The qualifying criteria are one, Asylum seekers registered with the Department of Refugees before the 31st March 2020, a person who has been continuously in Belize before 2017, three, A person having at least one child born in Belize on or before 31st December 2021; four a person married to a Belizean for a period of at least one year; five, a person in a common-law union with a Belizean; six, a person who has completed primary, primary, secondary or tertiary school in Belize; seven, a person who has been in continuous employment in Belize for at least five years; and, eight a child deferred to Director of Nationality and Passports by the Ministry of Human Development as a minor or a minor victim of human trafficking."
