By Adama Makasuba
Dr. Ceesay, the Minister of Information, announced shortly after U.S. President Trump proposed a travel ban on Gambian citizens. This would take effect unless specific security and vetting requirements are met within 60 days.
The Gambian government has not yet officially responded to the proposed travel ban. However, Dr. Ceesay confirmed that thousands of Gambians are currently awaiting deportation from the United States. “At present, we have over 3,000 Gambians on the list for deportation back to The Gambia,” he stated.
He also noted that the Gambian government is verifying the citizenship of those scheduled for deportation to ensure their status as genuine Gambians. “As a government, we must confirm their citizenship before we can issue travel documents,” he explained, acknowledging that the verification process is slow, given that the individuals awaiting deportation are dispersed across various states.
Dr. Ceesay reassured that the deportations would not jeopardize the long-standing relationship between The Gambia and the United States. “The two governments will collaborate to resolve this issue, as they have always done,” he added.
