Kingston, Jamaica (McN) – Authorities confirmed that there were 32 Jamaicans deported from the United Kingdom back to Jamaica on Wednesday evening, March 8. It was rumored that the United Kingdom was booting over 100 Jamaicans back home.
The deportees arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport on a privately chartered plane; and are being processed in Kingston, at a “Mobile Reserve.”
Government received funding from the United Kingdom to aid those deported acclimate back into the Island. The men and women returning were each handed a publication titled ‘Coming Home to Jamaica,’ which has information on how to reintegrate in Jamaica.
Jamaican Police, Soldiers and a non-profit organization of the British High commission was on hand to help the Jamaicans arriving back home.
Of those deported, police report that on six women were on board the plane back to Jamaica.
Reports say that some of the Jamaicans sent back home left here as children or teens and, many do not remember the Island they left.
Authorities revealed that in September 2016, 42 people were returned to Jamaica on a chartered flight, and since then 110 Jamaicans have been deported on scheduled commercial flights from the United Kingdom.
Jamaicans Deported May be Able to Return to the UK
Non-profit organization “Roots to Return,” a charity organisation in the UK, was in Jamaica on Wednesday evening, at the Mobile Reserve, where those returning home were being processed. Roots to Return prepared information on legal help for those who would like the information of returning to the United Kingdom.
Included in the Jamaicans deported is a past deportee, who was sent back as a teenager for dealing drugs. The man who went to live in the UK at age 13, is now 30.
Deported some years ago, he had made his way back to the UK, but was sent back on the chartered plane today, after many years of living abroad.
His wife told the media that they lived in Germany and Ireland before returning to the UK, she attempted to file for him to permanently live in the UK, but her income did no meet the required income to file for a spouse.
He is the father of a young child; the United Kingdom told him that if his wife and child could not go to Jamaica with him, he could always communicate with on the telephone, the internet or write them. He was said to have been on suicide watch since he was detained by authorities in preparation for deportation.
Mother of Three with Sickle Cell Son, Not Deported
A mother of three with a teen son diagnosed with the chronic disease Sickle Cell, was not in the batch of Jamaicans deported. Authorities say, she is currently in the midst of a litigation. Her story appeared in the UK news, “The Independent,” which brought worldwide attention to her plight.
Jamaican authorities say that most of the person’s deported committed drug or other offenses, or had immigration violations.
