PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad and Tobago Government says it will deport 200 illegal Venezuelans as part of the crackdown on criminal activities in the country.

The country’s Ministry of Homeland Security has since issued an order to place all illegal migrants at the Immigration Detention Centre for deportation.

“The honourable minister of Homeland Security has instructed that all illegal immigrants detained are to be held at the Immigration Detention Centre until repatriation. They are not to be placed on Orders of Supervision, as consideration is currently being given to the implementation of a mass deportation exercise for illegal immigrants.

“This policy takes immediate effect and shall remain in force until further instructions are issued by the honourable minister,” according to a memo signed by Videsh Maharaj, permanent secretary of Homeland Security.

Trinidad’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the deportation “is only for illegal immigrants who have committed criminal offences, of any nationality”.

“This is for people detained in the jails or detention centres who have been arrested for crimes. Nothing to do with kids,” she added.

In August, Persad-Bissessar had indicated that while there would be no “mass deportation”, her administration is “still working on that policy” even as she blamed the former administration for failing to properly address the illegal migrant issue, which she said was linked to criminality.

“That is what they allowed for the last 10 years. There was little, there was no attempt, little or no attempt by our predecessors to sift through immigrants who were legitimately fleeing conditions in Venezuela from those who came here with criminal intent,” she told supporters at a United National Congress rally in August.

In recent weeks, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago have been at odds over the United States military buildup in the region, with Caracas accusing Port of Spain of aiding and abetting Washington in its efforts at regime change in the South American country.

President Nicolas Maduro on Monday announced the suspension of all energy agreements between the two countries.