Jamaica Signs U.S. Deal to Hold 25 Deported Migrants Every 2 Weeks
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 18
Jamaica Signs U.S. Deal to Hold 25 Deported Migrants Every 2 Weeks
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 18
Summary
Jamaica said it has signed an agreement with the United States to temporarily receive deported migrants, with operations pending while both sides finalize procedures.
Up to 25 migrants could arrive every two weeks, and no more than 25 would remain in Jamaica at one time, Security Minister Horace Chang said.
Chang said Jamaica would reject people with criminal records, the U.S. would cover costs, and the International Organization for Migration would arrange accommodation because the migrants would not be detained.
The deal fits the Trump administration’s broader push to send migrants to countries with no direct connection to them, a practice that has already drawn legal challenges and criticism from rights groups across the region.
How will Jamaica avoid a humanitarian crisis when accepting deportees under this controversial US deal?
With US oversight dismantled, who will guarantee the human rights of deportees sent to Jamaica?
The 2026 US-Jamaica Deportee Agreement: Legal Battles, Human Rights Concerns, and Regional Precedents
Overview
The proposed deportee deal between the United States and Jamaica, still under consideration as of June 2026, aims to create a framework for returning individuals from the U.S. to Jamaica. A key feature is its flexible termination clause, allowing either country to end the agreement at any time with 90 days’ written notice through diplomatic channels. This flexibility gives both nations sovereign control to adapt the arrangement as needed. The deal is part of a broader U.S. strategy to manage migration in the Caribbean, involving similar agreements with other regional partners to share responsibilities for migration flows.