OUTSIDE of getting a first-class ticket to Heaven, for hundreds of thousands of native Jamaicans obtaining a green card is perhaps the most sought-after and desired passport to prosperity.

According to one online source: “A green card, known officially as a permanent resident card, is an identity document which shows that a person has permanent residency in the United States. Green card holders are formally known as lawful permanent residents (LPRs). As of 2025, there are an estimated 12.8 million green card holders, of whom almost 9 million are eligible to become United States citizens. Approximately 18,700 of them serve in the US Armed Services.

“Green card holders are statutorily entitled to apply for US citizenship after showing by a preponderance of the evidence that they, among other things, have continuously resided in the United States for one to five years and are persons of good moral character. Those who are younger that 18 years old automatically receive US citizenship if they have at least one US citizen parent.

“The card is known as a ‘green card’ because of its historical greenish colour. It was formerly called a ‘certificate of alien registration’, ‘registration alien card’ or an ‘alien registration receipt card’. A holder of a green card must carry it with them at all times.”

Historically, the United States, Uncle Sam’s country or “merica”, as many Jamaicans call it, has been the country to which most Jamaicans migrate, whether legally or illegally, apart from the United Kingdom. Because of its geographical position, it has always been an easy target for illegal immigration as well as a sought-after sanctuary. In the case of the latter, it became so after former Prime Minister Michael Manley’s fiery “five flights a day to Miami” speech in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War which pitied the Jamaican socialist Government against Washington (the White House) because of Manley’s People’s National Party’s (PNP) dalliance with Cuban President Fidel Castro.

With the Jamaican economy in shambles, crime on the rise, and political violence rampant in the land, many concerned Jamaicans, especially among the middle and upper classes, decided to migrate and Miami, popularly known as Kingston 20, became the gateway to paradise. I recall at the time one bemused senior citizen telling me that he decided to leave because he could no longer get to buy and eat his favourite cheese. Food shortage was the order of the day, and the phenomenon of “marrying” goods became a preferred option among enterprising higglers who would journey overseas, primarily to Cayman and Panama, to purchase goods which they brought back, sold, and made a killing, eventually enabling many of them to move on up to Beverly Hills and Norbrook.

Of course, the almighty US dollar became the preferred currency and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), led by Edward Seaga, an unrepentant capitalist, soon wrested the reigns of political power from the PNP with the support of the US in more ways than one, all of which helped to intensify the feeling among many depressed Jamaicans at the time that America was indeed the Promised Land.

Mass migration, therefore, became the order of the day, not only to South Florida, but more so to the Tri State Area comprising New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. To this day there are areas — especially in New York — such as Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx which are home to thousands of Jamaicans, both documented and undocumented. Out of this population surge has emerged the “barrel and remittances syndrome” which has helped to keep many Jamaicans back home well fed, clothed, and housed.

So, against this backdrop, for the Donald Trump Administration to now put an indefinite pause on the processing of green card applications from 75 countries including Jamaica is a devastating blow economically and psychologically, and as Jamaican immigration attorneys have indicated, this will drag out efforts at family reunification by Jamaican nationals. Therefore, it must be stressed that other visas, such as the tourist and business (B1, B2) are not immediately affected, contrary to the perception of many Jamaicans who have been panicking since the announcement.

However, Trump’s decision has come as bad news for many Jamaicans, a veritable horror story which is being perceived by some ill-advised citizens among us as a form of punishment given the list of penalised countries, some of whom are deemed to be anti-Trump.

Regrettably, some Jamaicans have adopted an irrational attitude towards this issue, putting a political flavour to it, to the extent that Labourites have been blaming the PNP while some have gone as far as hitting out at former Prime Minister Bruce Golding because of his recently harsh criticisms of the American president. “A him cause it.” What poppycock! Truth be told, in the very final analysis, the US, when it comes to its foreign policy, is predisposed always to put America first, albeit Trump and his MAGA followers have been taking this stance to a vulgar extreme.

In this context, the question may well be asked: Why now, heading into his second year as commander-in-chief, President Trump has seen it fit to appoint an ambassador to Jamaica (or has he?). It is also no secret that the US does have some concerns regarding Jamaica being used as a major dug trans-shipment port for Latin America as well as the major footprint that Beijing has planted in the island by way of infrastructural development and economic enablement. The recent visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Jamaica House, which, so far, in my opinion, has not been fully explained by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, adds more intrigue to this ongoing saga as to whether Jamaica will continue to enjoy a favoured nation status with “King Donald”. More anon.

In the meantime, all well-thinking Jamaicans should see this latest slap in the face by the US Government as a wake-up call, which should cause both Prime Minister Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding to huddle privately to examine the ramifications and chart a course collaboratively in the best interest of Jamaica, land we love.

The harsh truth is the world, geopolitically, is moving in a direction that may well see small developing nations such as Jamaica being trampled by the “big elephants” as they compete for international supremacy. In this regard, principles should not be sacrificed on the altar of expediency.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 50 years. He has also served as a People’s National Party Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.