Jerbal in kōrool ak dipoot Ri Majōl jān Amedka ñan Majōl ejjab kāāl—Ijo wōt ke oran rein rej jepḷaak eṃōj an lōñḷọk. Ṃokta jān aer jepḷaak ñan aelōñ eo, rej jilkinḷọk juon ñan Guantanamo bwe en kōttar pād ijen ṃae iien an jepḷaak, juon wāwein eo eḷap elewetak kake. Immigration ej ke jitoñ Ri Majōl ñan kōrool er? Ta menin ej kōn an jabwe jipañ ikijjien lawyer kab ri kōkapilōklōk ro? Ewi wāwin jepḷaakḷọk an ro aer karupe kien ñan Majōl ej ke jelet ro rej pād im jokwe ilo Majōl? Jet iaan un ko ej waḷọk jekjekin ej jān wōt an jabwe meḷeḷe ko kōn jiṃwe im maroñ (legal right) ko an juon Ri Majōl, bwe meñe ejjeḷọk aer pepa in kōmālim (visa) akō ekkar ñan koṇ ko iuṃwin Compact eo, eñin bwe Ri Majōl remaroñ jokwe im jerbal ijokein ilo aer jab aikuji mālim kein (visa). Elōñ wōt iaan rein rej kōrool er jān wōt an jab bwe jipañ ko ikijjien lawyer, ro im remaroñ kar jipañ er iakwelel kōn jiṃwe im maroñ kein aer.
Deportation of Marshallese from the U.S. back to the U.S. is not new—but the number of people deported has increased. With a Marshallese man being sent to Guantanamo to await deportation, the stakes are higher. Is immigration targeting Marshallese for deportation? Is it a lack of legal aid and counsel? Is repatriation of deportees putting the Marshallese in the RMI at risk? A few cases have actually been due to a misunderstanding of the legal right of Marshallese to live and work in the U.S. without a visa under the terms of the Compact. Many cases have been due to lack of legal counsel and arguably targeted enforcement.
Ekkar ñan bōnbōn ko tok jān RMI kōn jerbal in kōrool ak dipoot armej in, ewōr joñan in 341 Ri Majōl eṃōj aer jepḷaak ñan aelōñ eo ikōtaan iiō kani 2002 eo tok ñan 2024 eo. Elōñḷọk jān jiṃettan in rein rej itok jān Arkansas, California, im Hawai. Ilo iiō in, iuṃwin tōl im kabbe eo an Trump administration eo, ewōr 43 armej eṃōj aer jepḷaak jān Jawōde eo tok ñan ioḷapin Juun eo, juon wāwein eo jej loe bwe jerbal in kōrool armej in ej ḷapḷọk wōt. Ilo tōre en pandemic eo, ke eaar jelet laḷ in im rar kilōk border kein, jerbal in kōrool armej eaar bar bōjrak: Ewōr (36) ro rar jepḷaak ilo 2023 eo, im (58) ilo 2024 eo. Jān Jānwōde eo ñan Juun 2025 ewōr joñan in (47) rein rar jepḷaak. Nōṃba kein relōñ ḷọk jān iiō ko ḷọk: Ilo 2018 eo (34) im 2014 ewōr bar joñan in (34). Rein rar kōrool er rej jān California (61) im Hawaii (21), aolepāer rar ko jepḷaak er jān Arkansas. Ear alikkar ilo ripoot kein bwe 47 iaer ar rar jepḷaak jān Washington County eo (Fayvetteville im Springdale) ikōtaan 2018 eo tok ñan 2023 eo.
According to RMI deportation data, 341 Marshallese have been deported from the U.S. between 2002 and 2024. More than half have been deported from Arkansas, California, and Hawai. So far this year, under the Trump administration, 43 Marshallese were deported between late January and mid-June, indicating a steep rise. When borders were closed due to the worldwide pandemic, deportations were paused between 2020-2022. Since then the U.S. government has resumed deportations: 2023 (36), 2024 (58 ), Jan-June 2025 (47). This exceeds the highest numbers in years prior: 2018 (34) and 2014 (34). While many of these people have been deported from California (61) and Hawaii (21), most people have been deported from Arkansas. An issues brief recorded 47 people from Washington County (Fayetteville and Springdale) deported between 2018-2023.
Ekkar ñan meḷeḷe ko tok jān administration eo an Trump, rej ba im kemlet bwe jerbal in kōrool ak dipooti armej in ej ñan kōjparok jokane im aenōṃṃan eo an ri Amedka, jān “armej nanatata rein”. Ri Majōl rein rar rool kōn men kein ruweir āinwōt koot im kakkuri men ko ṃweiuk, kamijak im manman ak ire im jet ien ilo aer wāwein ko rejab eṃṃan ñan kōrā, jiroñ ak ajri ro. Ijo wōt ke, 5 iaan keej kein rar lo bwe ejjeḷọk ruweir. Ak unin ko rool er: kōnke ejjeḷọk aer mālim (visa) ñan pād jokein. Kōnke rein jān laḷ kein an COFA remaroñ jokwe im jerbal ijokein, rejjab aikuj aer mālim (visa) ñan kwaḷọk ke remaroñ kelet bwe ren pād wōt im jokwe ijokein im jab rool ñan ijo rar itok jene. Rein rar ṇa ruweir itok wōt jān an jikin ekajet eo jab meḷeḷe kōn koṇ ko ilo Compact eo. Ewōr 5 iaan rein rar kōrool er ro rej jān Vietnam im FSM bōtaap rar kōjepḷaak er ñan Majōl im jab ñan ijoko rar itok jāni.
The Trump administration has claimed that deportations keep Americans safe by removing “the worst of the worst.” Marshallese have been mostly deported for theft or property-related crimes and battery or assault with few sexual offenses. However, at least 5 cases were made in error. The reason listed for these deportations: the individual was deemed an immigrant without a visa. Since COFA citizens can live and work in the U.S., they should not need to prove non-immigrant intent to eventually return to their home country. These cases must have been made in error by the court misunderstanding of their status under the Compact. Another 5 people who were citizens of Vietnam and the FSM were deported to the RMI instead of their home countries.
Jān 2018 eo, ewōr enañin 21 Ri Majōl ro rar jepḷaak jān wōt aer jab jade iṃaan jikin ekajet, men in emaroñ kar wōr mejlan ñe ear wōr aer lawyer (legal representation) ñan jipañ er. Kaje ko kōn kakkure aenōṃṃan—ewōr 15-20% in rein rar jepḷaak itok wōt jān juṃae polij, jab lọọri kakien eo an ekajet, ṃakoko in jakōl im kalibuuj, akō jab jade iṃaan court. Juon jekjek eo kwomaroñ bar rool kake meñe tokālik renaaj loe ke ejjeḷọk ruōn.
Since 2018, there have been at least 21 cases of RMI citizens deported for failure to appear in court for first time offenses that could have potentially been defended in court with proper legal representation. Public order offenses—such as obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, or parole violations—account for 15-20% of deportations and often stem from failure to cooperate with law enforcement or the courts, which can itself be grounds for removal, even if the individual is later found innocent.
Enañin aolep ri Majōl ro rar rool rej etal jān Northwest Arkansas, ekoba juon armej eo ar ejjeḷọk jikin an jokwe ilo tōre eo ekar tōn rool. Ibwilijen 25 iaan armej rein rekar tōn rool 2 iaer rekar rool kōn wāwein ko rejab eṃṃan ñan jiroñ ro nejid. Jijino iaan rein rekar rool kōn jorāān ko āinwōt kadōk, koot, etal ñan ijoko ejab mālim pad ie, im jab eroñ kur jān court. Im ar bar wōr jijino iaan rein rekar pād ilo men eo rej ba “manman im kakkure aenōṃṃan” bōtaap ejab alikkar ñe armej rein rar kōṃṃan jorāān ko reḷḷap.
Most of the Marshallese returnees this year came from Northwest Arkansas, including at least one individual who was homeless at the time of removal. From 25 criminal convictions of returnees earlier this year, only 2 were deported for sexual offenses. Six individuals were deported for misdemeanors such as public intoxication, shoplifting, trespassing, or failure to appear in court. Another six were classified as “violent and disruptive,” though it is unclear whether they committed any serious or violent crimes.
Kien eo an RMI ej kōtmāne kōrool eo an ḷapḷọk an ri Majōl kōn aer dipooti jān Amedka, ekoba “Junior” jān Guantanamo. Jej kōttar mae ien enaaj alikkar kake.
The RMI government is expecting to repatriate more Marshallese soon who are awaiting deportation, including “Junior” from Guantanamo. We still have questions that maybe only those who have returned can answer.
Marshallese community reacts after Washington County passes SCAAP (From last year: February 2024)
