Jamaica Receives First U.S. Third-Country National Transit Flight

The Government of Jamaica began receiving third-country nationals from the United States on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The first flight delivered 22 adults, primarily South American nationals, to Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, where they were transported by police escort to an undisclosed location.

Operating under a memorandum of understanding signed in June, Jamaica serves as a temporary transit hub to facilitate the return of migrants to their countries of origin or other receiving nations. The program is capped at 25 individuals every two weeks and is managed logistically by the International Organization for Migration through its Assisted Voluntary Return program. The Jamaican government stated that no persons with criminal antecedents will be permitted to transit and that the state will not fund the arrangement. A provision exists to suspend the program if 10 individuals apply for asylum or humanitarian status to remain in Jamaica.

The arrangement has sparked political friction, with opposition leaders and transparency advocates criticizing the government for bypassing Parliament and keeping the agreement secret. While Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith maintains the deal protects Jamaican interests, the U.S. has refused to make the document public. Separately, the Supreme Court of the United States is scheduled to consider the legality of the Trump administration's broader third-country deportation policy in December.