Jamaica in Talks With US to Accept Third-Country Migrants Amid Caribbean Backlash

Jamaica is moving closer to joining a growing network of countries cooperating with the United States on third-country deportations , after confirming negotiations with Washington to receive migrants who are not Jamaican nationals under a new transit arrangement.

National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang said Jamaica has signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Department of Homeland Security that would allow the island to receive up to 25 third-country migrants every two weeks. The migrants would not be detained and would be temporarily housed while arrangements are made for their onward travel to their home countries or other destinations. Jamaican officials said compensation and logistical details are still under negotiation. Reports indicate Jamaica would act primarily as a transit country and host no more than 10 migrants at any one time.

The proposed arrangement has triggered strong criticism from the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) , which accused the government of a lack of transparency and warned of possible risks to national security, public services and Jamaica's international reputation. Opposition spokesperson Donna Scott Mottley demanded full disclosure of any commitments made to Washington.

Chang defended the talks, stressing that migrants would not be permanently settled in Jamaica and that the programme is a structured transit mechanism rather than a deportation dump. He said lessons had been drawn from similar arrangements elsewhere in the Caribbean.

The development comes as the Trump administration expands its third-country migrant programme . According to advocacy groups, more than 19,000 migrants have been deported to third countries since 2025, with over 1,500 sent to more than 20 nations across Latin America and Africa.

The policy remains controversial. Human rights organisations continue to cite the case of Orville Etoria , a Jamaican citizen who was deported to Eswatini in 2025 and detained for weeks before Jamaican diplomatic efforts secured his return.

Legal challenges are also continuing after a US federal district court ruled in February 2026 that third-country removals without proper notice violated due-process protections. However, an appeals court later allowed the policy to continue while litigation proceeded.

The Jamaica talks also highlight growing divisions across the Caribbean. Countries including the Dominican Republic , Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Belize and St Kitts and Nevis have explored or adopted varying agreements with Washington, often balancing economic interests and diplomatic relations against sovereignty and human-rights concerns.