JAMAICA · MIGRATION
Key Facts
- —What is happening On Tuesday, 27 October, Jamaica’s foreign minister said one of the 22 non-Jamaicans the United States sent on 13 October has left Jamaica, and one more has said they want to stay.
- —Why it matters The US is sending migrants who are not Jamaican to Jamaica for onward travel, and the first two weeks show whether a transit deal really works as designed.
- —The numbers Twenty-two people arrived, 15 men and seven women; one has left, one wants to stay, and Jamaica can take at most 25 every two weeks.
- —Who is who Kamina Johnson Smith is Jamaica’s foreign minister; Horace Chang is national security minister; the International Organization for Migration, a UN agency, houses the group and arranges returns.
- —What to watch The deal is suspended if 10 people ask to remain through asylum or other humanitarian routes, and no second group has yet been announced.
- —What it means for you Americans should know Washington is using Caribbean partners to move third-country migrants, under an agreement whose text neither government has published.
Jamaica says one of the 22 non-Jamaicans sent by the United States has left, while another wants to stay. The deal allows only 25 arrivals every two weeks.
Jamaica says one of the 22 migrants the United States sent on 13 October has left, and another wants to stay. Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith gave the update at a press briefing on Tuesday, 27 October.
None of the 22 is Jamaican, and they are “third-country nationals” whom Washington sent through Jamaica. For US readers, this tests how far Washington can route removals through Caribbean partners.
What Jamaica Said on 27 October
Johnson Smith said one of the 22 has left Jamaica. The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency, houses the group and arranges onward travel.
She added that a second person has said they want to remain in Jamaica. The government describes the arrangement as a transit route, and she said discussions with that person are continuing.
The briefing did not identify the person who left or say which country they returned to. It also did not say what has happened to the other 20 people.
How the First Flight Arrived
The first group landed at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston at about 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, 13 October. The Jamaica Information Service, the government news agency, says police, customs, health and immigration officers processed them.
The group was 15 men and seven women. Press accounts at the time gave different pictures of where they came from, so the nationalities are treated as unconfirmed here.
National Security Minister Horace Chang, who is also deputy prime minister, called the operation “incident-free”. The immigration agency granted the group visitor status, and the migration agency moved them to accommodation it chose.
Identity checks were done before the group left the aircraft, and foreign-language translators helped with processing. The government then formally handed the group to the International Organization for Migration.
Press accounts say Chang declined to give the housing location, which the migration agency can change at any time. No date was given for the next group, and the next flight is not guaranteed.
What the Deal Says
Jamaica and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding, a written agreement between two governments, on Wednesday, 10 June. The government says it is a transit arrangement, not a route to settle in Jamaica.
Under it, Jamaica expects no more than 25 people every two weeks, and no one with a criminal record is allowed. Jamaica says it does not pay for the programme, and the IOM looks after the people while they are on the island.
Anyone who wants to stay may apply for asylum or another humanitarian status, and the others are sent home. The memorandum allows suspension if 10 people apply to remain through those routes.
Johnson Smith has said the United States has not agreed to publish the text. The opposition People’s National Party, Jamaica’s main opposition force, wants the full agreement laid before Parliament.
Why Jamaica Matters to Washington
Jamaica says similar arrangements exist with Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, Antigua, St Kitts and Barbados. That puts Jamaica among several partners that Washington uses for third-country removals.
Earlier coverage covers the arrival of the 22 and the island’s wider place between Washington and the region. Costa Rica’s own arrangement has a separate report on its US deportees.
What It Means for US Readers
The United States is moving some non-Jamaican migrants through Jamaica, at up to 25 every two weeks. Its terms are unpublished, so the public relies on what Jamaican officials disclose.
For policy watchers, one departure and one request to stay in two weeks is too small a sample to show a trend. A larger second group would give a clearer test.
What Is Not Known
Where the person who left went, and how the other 20 people are doing, has not been said. The nationalities of the group are also unconfirmed, because press accounts differ.
The text of the memorandum is not public, so the rules above rest on what ministers have said. It is not known whether the programme would be suspended if the single request to stay is joined by nine more.
No date for a second group has been announced. A 90-day landing period and a two-week return target appeared in one press report only, so they are left out.
What Comes Next
Watch for a second flight and any further requests to stay. Also watch for any move to publish the agreement or table it in Parliament.
The programme is not an asylum route to the United States, and one departure does not show it will keep working. Only a further official statement can settle either point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are third-country nationals?
They are people who are not citizens of the country that removes them. Here, the United States sent non-Jamaicans to Jamaica for onward travel.
How many people has the US sent to Jamaica?
Twenty-two people arrived on 13 October, 15 men and seven women. Jamaica says the cap is 25 every two weeks.
What happened on 27 October?
Jamaica’s foreign minister said one of the 22 has left and another wants to stay. Officials are still talking to that person.
Can they stay in Jamaica?
They can apply for asylum or another humanitarian status. The programme is suspended if 10 people apply to remain.
Who pays for the programme?
Jamaica says it does not fund it, and the IOM looks after the group. The text of the agreement has not been published.
Sources: Jamaica Information Service, Third Country Nationals Under IOM Care, 14 October 2026; Jamaica Information Service, Government Provides Update on Third Country Nationals Arrangement, 13 October 2026; Jamaica Information Service, Jamaica Signs MOU with US, 18 June 2026; Only one of 22 TCNs returned to homeland, 27 October 2026; One Third Country National has left Jamaica, 27 October 2026; Johnson Smith says Jamaica’s interests protected, 13 October 2026; PNP demands tabling of US migrant agreement, 13 October 2026; Secret location, 15 October 2026 (all accessed 28 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief