US Embassy says deportees with COVID symptoms will not be sent back to Jamaica

The United States Embassy in Kingston says deportees with the symptoms of the new coronavirus will not be sent back to Jamaica next week. 

In a statement this afternoon, the US Embassy said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency does not remove aliens who are not fit for travel.

The US has said two health checks are done before deportees are allowed to board flights – one just before boarding and the other at least 12 hours before returnees are transported from detention centres. 

Earlier today, Jamaica’s National Security Ministry said measures are in place to facilitate the return of the 62 deportees on April 21. 

“There will be controlled re-entry while observing COVID-19 prevention protocols,” said National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang in a ministry statement.

He said the deportees will be quarantined for two weeks in a government facility.

The ministry said the deportees will be screened twice daily and released to family after being cleared by health officials. 

US President Donald Trump has signed an order that could see visa restrictions imposed on countries that block the return of their citizens. 

But the Opposition has urged the Andrew Holness Administration to resist America’s insistence.

It argued that the returnees could burden the local health system. 

Jamaica is not likely to challenge America, however, as Chang recently told The Gleaner “either way, we get hurt. Our economy depends heavily on our primary trading partners and therefore we don’t need a fight on that front”. 

Jamaica has so far confirmed 125 cases of COVID-19 with five deaths and 21 recoveries.

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