On Monday, I returned from leading a congressional delegation to Turks and Caicos (TCI) where we met with TCI government officials to discuss the five Americans being detained on the islands, including Oklahoman Ryan Watson.
We went in respectful of their sovereignty, and with an open mind looking to find common ground. Unfortunately, despite our willingness to work with Turks and Caicos officials to get our constituents home, we were not able to find a path forward. At this point, well-intentioned American citizens are facing a dozen years in prison all for unknowingly having one or two bullets in their luggage. The unintended consequences of TCI’s law have been at the expense of well-intentioned American tourists, including a grandmother, who had no intention of breaking the law. We will stay at the table through this process until the issue is resolved.
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