First deportees from the US to Jamaica for 2025 land in Kingston

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith says Thursday's arrival in Kingston of a deportation flight from the US was in continuance of regular monthly arrangements previously in train.

She noted that the flight was the first such scheduled for 2025.

It's unclear at this time how many people were aboard the flight.

In a media release Thursday afternoon, Johnson Smith stated that the Government was acutely aware of concerns locally and in the US regarding intensified implementation of US immigration policy.

She said these concerns have been heightened by misinformation circulating on social media, including exaggerated claims suggesting that tens of thousands of Jamaicans are set to be deported immediately and simultaneously.

"These assertions are categorically false," Johnson Smith said.

She informed that the Government is actively monitoring the situation and will continue its close engagement with US authorities.

However, she underscored that "Jamaica, like most, if not all countries, has international obligations requiring us to accept the return of our citizens who are

subject to deportation".

"For those who may have concerns about their personal immigration status, we strongly advise seeking professional legal advice. The Jamaican Embassy in Washington, along with our Consulates-General in New York and Miami, have compiled contact information for attorneys with a track record of assisting members of our diaspora. While these lists are not exhaustive, they provide a trusted starting point for those in need of legal guidance. They will be available on the relevant websites in very short order," she added.

President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up arrests of undocumented migrants in major cities around the US, with more than 3,500 undocumented migrants arrested since he returned to the White House on January 20.

An average of 310 such arrests were made during the 2024 fiscal year when former President Joe Biden was in office, according to statistics published by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The Trump administration has also started sending deportation flights using military aircraft to some countries.

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