A group of 181 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be deported from the United States to their home country, announced Bosnia's Ambassador to Washington Sven Alkalaj, BTA reports.
This measure is part of the drastic actions of the Donald Trump administration against illegal immigrants.
Agreement between the US and Bosnia
Alkalay confirmed that an agreement has already been reached between Washington and Sarajevo for the deportation of six people in the coming days.
"We are waiting for the American lists to see the timeframe for the deportation of the remaining 174 people," he said.
The ambassador assured that those who reside legally in the US have nothing to worry about.
Crimes and voluntary return
The deportees are mainly people who have committed various crimes, explains the HINA agency. Alkalay revealed that some of them had wanted to return voluntarily to Bosnia to avoid being sent to Guantanamo or El Salvador, where the Trump administration plans to deport illegal immigrants.
Legal challenges and reception measures
Bosnia's Foreign Minister, Elmedin Konakovic, also confirmed that measures were being taken to facilitate the reception of the deportees. He said that the US embassy in Sarajevo had issued a "very strong warning" about cooperation in the deportation. For the six deportees, the process was successfully completed and travel documents were issued.
Unfinished War Crimes Legal Process
Despite the rapid implementation of procedures, authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to face challenges in determining the legal status of citizens to be deported, especially those who have committed war crimes. Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States do not have an extradition treaty, raising questions about the future enforcement of sentences in the deportees' home countries.