Dear Editor,
The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS) registers its strongest possible objection to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Government of Jamaica with the United States Department of Homeland Security to accept third-country nationals – persons who are neither Jamaican citizens nor US nationals – on Jamaican soil.
This agreement was negotiated in secret, announced without public or parliamentary consultation, and exposes Jamaica to potential legal, humanitarian, and security risks about which the Holness Administration has demonstrated an alarming lack of transparency. We call for the immediate suspension and public review of this MOU.
National Security Minister, Dr. Horace Chang, confirmed on June 17, 2026, that Jamaica has signed an MOU with the US Department of Homeland Security for the transfer every two weeks of 25 foreign nationals to Jamaica.
The minister has admitted that he has no current information about the implementation date of this memorandum or the intended place of residence of these foreign nationals. Further, the possible inclusion of persons with criminal records is still unclear.
The mystery and secrecy surrounding this arrangement, and the contemptuous response of the government to reasonable enquiries of Jamaican citizens, is high-handed, autocratic, and contrary to the democratic process.
Court Findings
It should be noted that a US Federal District Court struck down the third-country removal policy as unlawful in February 2026, ruling that the US cannot deport migrants to undesignated nations without proper notice and due process. The policy is currently being enforced only because the Trump Administration has appealed the ruling, with a final Supreme Court decision expected in the 2026-27 term.
Jamaica is therefore being asked to participate in a programme whose legality is unresolved in the United States. If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court ruling, Jamaica could find itself holding individuals under an agreement with no valid legal foundation. However, even if the legality was upheld by the US Supreme Court, our other grounds for the objection would still stand.
How can the Jamaican Government, that has been unable to adequately resolve the persistent social and infrastructural needs of the victims of Hurricane Melissa, even contemplate taking responsibility for thousands of foreign nationals?
OUR DEMANDS
We call on the Government of Jamaica to:
- Immediately suspend implementation of the MOU pending full public and parliamentary scrutiny.
- Publish the full text of the MOU and any associated financial arrangements.
- Clarify Jamaica’s obligations under international refugee law if the MOU proceeds.
- Consult with civil society, the legal profession, and human rights organisations before any agreement is finalised.
- State clearly who will bear financial responsibility for housing, legal processing, medical, and repatriation infrastructure and any other obligations.
- Demand written guarantees from the US government on the criminal background, nationality, legal status, and onward pathway of every individual proposed for transfer.
- Refuse to become a transit point for individuals with pending US court proceedings or court-ordered protections.
Jamaica must not bear the burden of US immigration problems.
I am,
Dr Wayne West
The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS)
