The Caribbean country of Jamaica has received its first third-country deportations from the United States, as part of an expanding set of international agreements under President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, 22 deportees from the US arrived at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. Media reports indicate they were subsequently boarded onto a bus and taken to an undisclosed location.
Such deportations – which often involve non-citizens who have no ties to their destinations – have faced widespread condemnation from human rights groups and advocates who have questioned their legality. But Jamaica is among a growing number of countries to accept third-country deportations, as part of Trump’s effort to implement the largest mass deportation campaign in US history. At least 35 countries have entered into third-country deportation agreements with the US, according to Third Country Deportation Watch, an advocacy project affiliated with the groups Refugees International and Human Rights First.
The Washington Post reported last month that the Trump administration has earmarked roughly $410m to support such efforts. Jamaica signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding in June to receive third-country deportations. Under the plan, Jamaica will transfer any deportees to their home countries or other destinations after their arrival.
The country’s government has also pledged not to accept any deportees with criminal records. It added that care for the deportees will be supported by the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations organisation. Opposition leaders in Jamaica, however, spoke out against the deportation, framing the deal as a threat to the island’s security.
They also questioned why the agreement had not been debated publicly. In response to Jackson’s statement, Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith argued that any questions about the deportation deal “have all been answered”. She also indicated that the US has not agreed to make the deal public.
Critics have also argued that third-country deportations sometimes send immigrants to countries where they may face danger. Some of the recipient countries, such as South Sudan, are in the midst of ongoing conflict or have faced accusations of serious human rights abuses. Opponents have even said the third-country deportations are being used as a backdoor method for circumventing court protection orders.
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