Johnson Smith reiterates US has not agreed to make TCN agreement public despite PNP disclosure calls

October 13, 2026

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith has reiterated that the United States Government has not agreed to make its Third Country National (TCN) agreement with Jamaica public.

She was responding to a call from the People’s National Party (PNP) for the Government to fully and immediately disclose the TCN arrangement.

In a post on X today, Mrs. Johnson Smith said while other countries have had their agreements made public, the U.S. has not done so for Jamaica, not because of anything prejudicial.

She explained that the Government has made every effort to negotiate the agreement with protection of the Jamaican people in mind, as well as in accordance with the principles of safe and orderly migration which are consistent with domestic and international law.

She said the questions asked by Opposition Spokesman on National Security Fitz Jackson about the agreement have all been answered.

The Foreign Affairs Minister added that the government has negotiated for a brake to be applied if 10 TCNs apply for refugee status or otherwise seek to remain under other humanitarian processes.

The government has said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) will be fully responsible for the care, accommodation and return of the TCNs; Jamaica will only land and transport them to the IOM.