Gov’t confirms talks on US deportee transit deal, vows strict safeguards - Chang

The Government has confirmed that it is negotiating a controversial, United States-backed migration arrangement to allow non-Jamaicans deported from the US to transit through the island, but says it is not opening the country’s borders for an uncontrolled programme.

A statement from the Ministry of National Security and Peace, issued Tuesday afternoon, said the safety and security of Jamaicans and visitors to the island, as well as its obligations under international law, “have guided every step of the discussions on this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Jamaica and the United States of America concerning Third Country Nationals (TCNs).”

The statement follows a Gleaner story published early Tuesday which disclosed that the United States had sent a proposal to the Government regarding Jamaica’s acceptance of third-country nationals.

“I want to first clarify that the individuals who may be transferred under this framework are not being brought to Jamaica as permanent migrants. These are nationals of countries other than Jamaica who are being facilitated through a structured process to transit through Jamaica to a third territory, including return to their home countries. Jamaica is not opening its borders for an uncontrolled migration programme,” Security Minister Dr Horace Chang said in the statement.

He said the MOU is the outcome of negotiations between two sovereign partners and that it is not an automatic acceptance of any proposal.

Chang said Jamaica’s technical teams engaged in detailed discussions with their US counterparts to ensure that the framework included the necessary safeguards and protections for the country.

“At no point did Jamaica compromise its sovereignty or ignore its duty to the Jamaican people. We were clear about our national interests and relied on our experience over many years in managing international migration matters to inform our position throughout the negotiations,” he said.

He said there will be no transfers until both countries have agreed on the required operational procedures for orderly implementation.

He said individuals with criminal antecedents will not be accepted under this arrangement, as Jamaica’s security considerations remain paramount.

Further, he denied that the number of deportees may reach 10,000, insisting that the figure “does not represent an agreed quota or commitment” under the MOU.

Chang said the process will be controlled and phased.

The US proposal stated that up to 25 individuals would be transferred under the arrangement every two weeks, but Chang said that while the understanding contemplates such transfers, this is subject to an important operational safeguard.

Where the number of individuals pending transfer or remaining in Jamaica exceeds a threshold of 10 persons, the process will be paused until conditions are reviewed and normalised.

This is to ensure that there are no more than 10 TCNs remaining in Jamaica within any 30-day period, he said, confirming a Gleaner report.

“The final numbers under this arrangement therefore remain contingent on that flow, and it is designed to establish parameters that are appropriate and manageable for Jamaica. The Government of Jamaica has also insisted that all actions under this arrangement comply with the domestic laws of both countries and applicable international obligations,” said Chang.

He said lessons were drawn from similar arrangements entered into by countries including Belize, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Panama, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St Kitts and Nevis, where terms were tailored based on individual national circumstances, laws, and security considerations.

He said the US has indicated that it will cover all costs associated with the transfer process and related arrangements.

- Kimone Francis

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