Jamaican Prime Minister Urges Illegal Immigrants in U.S. to Return Home: ‘You Are Not Homeless’

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has called on Jamaicans living illegally in the United States to return to their homeland, emphasizing that they are "not homeless."

During a speech on Monday, Holness urged Jamaicans residing abroad to “come back” home, noting that the Trump administration had been actively deporting illegal immigrants, including Jamaicans, as part of its enforcement policies.

Holness further advised Jamaicans living in foreign countries to abide by local laws and remember their roots. While encouraging their return, he also cautioned against actions that could harm the nation.

“Since taking office last month, the new administration in Washington has been following through on their plan to deport criminal offenders living in the United States illegally, including a number of Jamaicans,” Holness stated. “Let me be clear, we respect the sovereign right of any country to determine its internal security, public order, and social policy.”

He continued, “We encourage all our Jamaicans abroad to respect the laws of their host countries. But never forget—Jamaica is your homeland. You are not homeless or stateless.”

Holness’s remarks come as Colombian President Gustavo Petro also called for undocumented Colombians in the U.S. to quit their jobs and return home. According to The Hill, Petro stated, “I ask undocumented Colombians in the U.S. to immediately leave their jobs and return to Colombia as soon as possible,” emphasizing that “wealth is produced only by working people.”

The Jamaican Prime Minister expressed his administration’s commitment to building a nation that Jamaicans can take pride in and urged those struggling abroad to return.

“Our goal is to build a place where every Jamaican feels proud and comfortable returning home,” Holness explained. “If you’re facing challenges where you are, come back home.”

However, he issued a stern warning: “Do not return to destroy your homeland. We have worked tirelessly to create opportunities so that you wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place.”

Following his address, Holness reinforced his message in an interview with the Miami Herald, emphasizing that Jamaica’s economic future depends on its own efforts rather than external sources.

“Our economic prosperity will not come from overseas. We must now look toward our own economic independence, and I am confident that we have the skills and resources to achieve this,” he said. “Despite our local challenges, Jamaica is our homeland, and we must all contribute to building it.”

In contrast, Haiti continues to struggle after losing a significant portion of its educated workforce, including teachers, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers.

AmericanBrief News’s Neil Munro previously reported that as gang violence surged in Haiti, many anti-gang police officers had left the country under visas granted by former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Some of these former officers have since taken low-wage jobs in the U.S. economy.

Since 2022, approximately 3,000 Haitian police officers have left the country, leading to a severe decline in law enforcement, according to the U.S. Department of State.

DocumentedNY.com reports that former Haitian police officers, including Roodolphe Nicolas, Cosby Jean-Charles, Miguel Chardovoine, and Bernard C. Pierre, now work in various jobs such as cooking at Barclays Center, running a tree-cutting business, and working as airport security agents.

Holness’s call for the return of Jamaicans underscores a broader global discussion on immigration, national development, and economic self-sufficiency.