Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"The reality is that the United States government has been calling out the government on the serious issues of human trafficking. The United States have been calling out the government on issues of drug trafficking in this country and they believe that they are high officials that are involved both in human trafficking and drug trafficking and that we are turning a blind eye and until we take decisive steps, until we take decisive actions, they are going to continue to punish. And it's unfortunate that it's not the ministers that are going to suffer, because as Ministry Castro says he doesn't want to go to the United States, so he is not going to apply for a visa. But that aside, there are people, hardworking Belizeans that go every year to work for 8-9 months in the US and then they come back. There are several people in San Estevan that I know every year they go to work and now because of the corruption and the incompetence of the Dean Barrow administration they will be unable to continue to work in the United States and come back home."

In 2016 the US Embassy in Belmopan processed 299 H-2 visas for Belizeans.