Caribbean Journey
Jamaica JUST Silent America! And You Won't Believe What They Did
Jamaica told Parliament it agreed to accept 25 deportees every two weeks. A leaked diplomatic cable says the real number discussed was 10,000. This is the story Jamaica's own government still hasn't fully explained and why it matters to every Jamaican, Guyanese, and Trinidadian watching from London, Toronto, or New York.
In June 2026, Jamaica's National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang confirmed Jamaica signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to accept up to 25 third-country nationals every two weeks under the Trump administration's expanding deportation programme. Two days earlier, the Jamaica Gleaner had already reported a diplomatic note describing a proposal for Jamaica to receive up to 10,000. The contradiction has never been resolved.
WHAT THIS DOCUMENTARY COVERS
- The June 2026 memorandum of understanding with U.S. Homeland Security
- The leaked diplomatic cable and the disputed 10,000-person figure
- The federal court ruling that found the third-country removal policy unlawful
- Orville Etoria's deportation to Eswatini and two months in a maximum-security prison
- Jamaica's history with Washington: Michael Manley, the bauxite levy, and the IMF
- The 2019 Mar-a-Lago summit and the "lapdog diplomacy" controversy
- Marco Rubio, Andrew Holness, and the state of U.S.-Jamaica relations in 2026
- Why this matters to Guyana's oil boom and Trinidad's energy security
- What it means for diaspora remittances, banking, and immigration status
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What did Jamaica agree to in its 2026 deal with the United States on deportees?
Jamaica's National Security Minister, Dr. Horace Chang, confirmed in June 2026 that Jamaica signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to accept up to 25 third-country nationals people who are neither Jamaican nor American every two weeks, without placing them in detention.
Why is there controversy over the number of deportees Jamaica agreed to accept?
A diplomatic note reported by the Jamaica Gleaner indicated a senior Jamaican official had proposed an arrangement for Jamaica to receive up to 10,000 third-country nationals far above the 25-per-two-weeks figure given to Parliament. The Jamaican government has denied any larger arrangement was agreed to.
Who is Orville Etoria?
Orville Etoria is a Jamaican man who lived in the United States for nearly 50 years before being deported not to Jamaica but to Eswatini in southern Africa, where he was held for more than two months in a maximum-security prison without due process before being repatriated.
Is the U.S. third-country deportation policy legal?
A U.S. federal district court ruled in February 2026 that the third-country removal policy was unlawful, finding the government could not send migrants to countries that had not agreed to receive them without proper notice. The ruling is under appeal, and the policy remains in effect pending that appeal.
How does this affect the Caribbean diaspora in the US, UK, and Canada?
Jamaica's economic relationship with the U.S. including over $2 billion a year in remittances, tariff-free trade access, and a $3 billion-plus trading relationship gives Washington significant leverage. Diplomatic friction in this relationship can affect banking, visa processing, and travel in ways that reach diaspora families directly.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
- U.S. Department of State — "Secretary Rubio's Call with Jamaican Prime Minister Holness," Jan 17, 2026: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/secretary-rubios-call-with-jamaican-prime-minister-holness-2/
- Jamaica Gleaner — "Chang tells Parliament: Deportee deal was a US request," Jun 18, 2026: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20260618/chang-tells-parliament-deportee-deal-was-us-request
- Spectrum News/WLRN — "U.S. in talks with Jamaica to send third-country migrants," Jun 17, 2026: https://www.wlrn.org/americas/2026-06-18/us-jamaica-third-country-migrants-as-rift-widens-in-caribbean
- Washington Times — "5 questions about Jamaica's deal to accept U.S. third-country deportees," Jun 18, 2026: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/jun/18/5-questions-jamaicas-deal-accept-us-third-country-deportees/
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Published Jul 26, 2026
