Jamaica Faces Protests Over US Deal to Accept Expelled Migrants
The opposition party and civic groups are demanding transparency regarding an agreement allowing the U.S. to send non-Jamaican migrants to the island.
A recently finalized deal between the United States and Jamaica, which permits the U.S. to send non-Jamaican migrants to the island nation, is now sparking protests and drawing criticism from Jamaica's main opposition party and various other groups.
The agreement, signed on June 10, allows for expelled migrants to be sent to Jamaica en route to their home countries. This move places Jamaica among nearly 30 nations that have entered similar agreements with the U.S. The People's National Party (PNP), Jamaica's center-left opposition, along with civic organizations, commentators, and members of the Jamaican diaspora, are calling on the ruling Jamaica Labour Party to reveal the full details of the pact.
Concerns voiced by PNP officials include potential strains on national resources, national security risks, and the protection of migrants' human rights. They also fear the island could face unforeseen costs or inadvertently accept individuals with criminal backgrounds.
"We just don’t trust what the government is saying," stated Bishop Alvin Bailey, leader of an alliance of evangelical churches.
Jamaican ministries of national security and foreign affairs have asserted that new rules accompanying the deal stipulate that the U.S. will cover all associated costs and will not deport any migrant with a criminal record. The United Nations' International Organization for Migration is also set to assist with the needs of migrants while they are in Jamaica, according to the government.
Fitz Jackson, the PNP's national security spokesman, emphasized the public's right to know the specifics of the agreement, noting that the document requires parliamentary approval. "Jamaicans are being asked to trust a secret document that touches their security, their communities and their public services," Jackson said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith indicated that Washington has expressed opposition to making the agreement's details public. A State Department spokesperson stated that the department does not comment on communications with other governments.