Jamaican man deported to Eswatini repatriated, says Johnson Smith
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith says Orville Etoria, a Jamaican man who was deported from the United States (US) to the Kingdom of Eswatini, returned to Jamaica on Monday.
Johnson Smith, in a media release late Monday, said Etoria’s repatriation was finalised after sustained engagement among the ministry’s headquarters, the Government of Eswatini and the Jamaican High Commission in Pretoria.
“We are pleased to welcome home Mr Etoria, and we trust the Jamaican people understand and join the Government in respecting his desire for a quiet return. We reaffirm that the well-being of Jamaicans overseas is a constant priority for the Government and note that this case is another example of the importance of international cooperation and the role of our diplomatic network in protecting the rights of Jamaican nationals overseas,” Johnson Smith said.
She continued, “We are grateful to the Government of Eswatini for its cooperation in this matter and for the duty of care it has exercised. We also thank the International Organisation for Migration for its direct support and commend our High Commission in Pretoria for their hands-on engagement. Together, our combined efforts ensured Mr Etoria’s safe return.”
The minister noted that representatives from the Ministry of National Security were on hand to receive Etoria, along with foreign ministry personnel.
Etoria was among five migrants deported from the United States to Eswatini in July of this year.
Announcing the deportation, US Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, had described all five migrants as “barbaric”, stating: “This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back. These depraved monsters have been terrorising American communities, but thanks to [President] Trump and [Secretary] Noem, they are off of American soil.”
READ: Jamaican listed among ‘barbaric’ migrants deported from US to Africa
However, Johnson Smith later clarified that the Jamaican Government had not refused the return of any Jamaican and said her ministry had initiated enquiries with US authorities to probe reports of the incident.
