A Donald Trump re-election could be detrimental to the Jamaican economy, says managing director of Caribbean Immigrant Service, Irwine Clare.

Clare, a registered member of the Democratic Party, told BUZZ that over the past four years the Trump administration has been working to cut off legitimate avenues to citizenship for Caribbean nationals, among other immigrants.

He said he believes many in the Caribbean community would support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ run for president and vice-president respectively.

Further, Clare said Harris’ Jamaican heritage has endeared some members of the community to her, and is pulling out people who would not have traditionally voted.

He mentioned that in the past week alone, he has spoken with several individuals who had gained citizenship through his organisation, noting how thankful they were that they had taken the time to go through the process of becoming legitimised.

He said since the opening of Caribbean Immigrant Services in 1995, the organisation has embarked on a programme of helping Jamaicans among others to become naturalised citizens and has even assisted in registering people to vote.

Clare said narrowing of pathways to citizenship was something that he was strongly against. He further added that if Trump is re-elected things could become even harder for those in the process of becoming naturalised citizens.

He explained that the stress on the immigrant community could mean a decline in remittances, which is critical to the Jamaican economy.

“Jamaica could be impacted by a second Trump win, don’t believe he’s not taking a look at the money leaving the economy in the form of remittances,” said Clare, who added that this was why the election was critical to those not living in the United States but could be impacted by the outcome.

Clare said that the historic election, in which the turnout has been large, favours the democrats but irrespective of outcome there would be tension, as he pointed to several businesses boarding up their establishment and the fence being erected around the White House.

He said while concerned about the tensions in light of the vitriol spewed by the President, he  noted that normalcy would be restored in due time