MONTEGO BAY, St James — Minister of National Security and Peace Dr Horace Chang on Tuesday rejected reports that Jamaica is in discussions to accept up to 10,000 deportees from the United States.

However, Dr Chang confirmed that talks are under way for Jamaica to participate in a Third-Country Nationals (TCN) agreement which will see not more than 25 individuals from the TCN in Jamaica at any one time.

“First, the report is false. There are no intentions to bring 10,000 illegal immigrants from the United States,” said Dr Chang, who is also deputy prime minister.

“The numbers involved will be under 50 per fortnight, and they are designed with United Nation International Organization for Migration [which] is working with the country. So they will be sent on to their own country,” he added.

The minister was responding to a question from the floor during the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at Montego Bay Convention Centre.

Event participant Clive Saunders had sought clarification on discussions sparked by a Gleaner report published on Tuesday.

Most concern surrounded fears that thousands of people convicted of crimes in the US, who are not Jamaicans, could end up on the island’s shores.

“If it is true, what are the benefits [to] Jamaica of this move, and what are the potential safety and security implications? If it is not true, is it something that is likely to be considered in the future?” Saunders asked.

In response, Dr Chang told the conference that the arrangement currently under consideration relates to the temporary processing of individuals under a broader regional framework.

“What we are discussing, and what I have agreed to, is this whole question of third country nationals that may have to transition to Jamaica,” he said.

Participant Clive Saunders asking a question during the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Tuesday. (Photo: Horace Hines)

“They have negotiated [with] a number of countries in the Caribbean: Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, St Kitts, Antigua, and others. And the essence is that those who are going into United States as illegal immigrants, before they stay there to appeal for asylum, they send them to a third country where they’ll be sent on to their own home country afterwards,” he explained.

The deputy prime minister emphasised that the numbers involved would be minimal and tightly managed, and argued that there are safeguards in place if the volume of deported foreign nationals becomes cause for concern.

“It’s a transitional moment for a small number of migrants. It’s an MOU (memorandum of understanding). If some choose to stay in Jamaica and apply for asylum, which they can do under international law, then the programme stops. So there will never be more than 25 people in Jamaica at any one point in time,” he stressed.

In seeking to allay fears, Dr Chang pointed out that other Caribbean countries, including Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, St Kitts, Antigua, had already signed on to the TCN programme.

In a press release issued later in the day the security minister stressed that Jamaica’s sovereignty had not been compromised during the ongoing discussions with the US and claimed that neither has the Government ignored 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. This is an MOU and not a binding agreement and does not come into effect until the completion of agreed pre-implementation requirements, including the finalisation of operational guidelines and procedures. It also does not create an automatic obligation for Jamaica to accept any individual, and either country retains the ability to terminate the arrangement,” said the release.

“Importantly, there will be no transfers until both countries have agreed on the required operational procedures for orderly implementation,” it added.

He also pointed out that the US would pick up the tab for all costs associated with the programme and “individuals with criminal antecedents” would not be accepted under the arrangement.

“This process has been approached carefully and deliberately, with Jamaica’s national interest at the centre. The Government will continue to provide updates as appropriate, as implementation discussions progress,” assured Chang.