In recent developments, Jamaica’s government announced that two of its citizens deported by the United States to Eswatini have declined offers to return to Jamaica. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this announcement late Thursday, noting that attempts are ongoing to reach a third citizen who was also deported.
The Ministry stated that during discussions, the two individuals were informed about the consular support available and the government’s readiness to assist them in returning to Jamaica. Despite this, both men expressed their wish to remain in Eswatini and not return to their home country. Jamaican authorities noted that they could not determine the men’s immigration status in the United States nor facilitate a return to the U.S.
Jamaica’s officials communicated with the men through the Jamaican Consulate in Miami and their legal adviser, who has not disclosed the men’s identities. The government’s efforts to contact these citizens followed diplomatic engagements with U.S. officials in Washington and formal communications with Eswatini’s government through Jamaica’s diplomatic mission in Pretoria, South Africa.
The deportations have drawn criticism from lawyers and human rights groups. They have raised concerns about the increasing number of third-country deportations by the U.S., including to Eswatini, a small kingdom bordering South Africa. The king of Eswatini has been criticized for clamping down on pro-democracy movements, and he holds absolute power.
Orville Etoria, a Jamaican national previously deported under this program, was repatriated to Jamaica last September. His lawyers have accused the U.S. of unlawfully deporting him there in July 2025 and stated that he was repeatedly denied legal visits. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a U.N. agency, facilitated Etoria’s return to Jamaica.