The National Security Ministry says the Opposition Leader’s comments on migrants and crime risk creating further misunderstanding and xenophobia.

In a media release following the murder of Winston Thomas, Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar said all illegal Venezuelan migrants engaging in “criminal conduct” will be deported by any means necessary if her party is elected to government.

However, the National Security Ministry says this comment was aggressive and politicking, and generalizes an entire group.

It adds that T&T has already been deporting migrants who run afoul of the law under the Migrant Registration Framework Policy.