Third-Country Nationals (TCNs) sent to Jamaica under a new agreement signed with the United States (US) will be able to seek authorisation to stay in the island, Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang has disclosed.Chang pointed out that Jamaica will only accept persons who speak English, while stating that further details on the terms under the deal are still being worked out.The Gleaner first reported on Tuesday that the Jamaican Government was engaged in talks with Washington on an agreement that could see Jamaica accepting up to 10,000 non-Jamaicans being deported from the US. The report cited a proposed memorandum of understanding, which indicated that the US would transfer up to 25 foreign nationals or TCNs to Jamaica every two weeks for an unspecified period.Chang, who is also deputy prime minister, today told a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House that he signed an agreement last week to allow TCNs to “transition” through Jamaica from the US. He said the agreement, first proposed by the US, was reached after “extensive negotiations” with the relevant Jamaican professionals drawn mainly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Attorney General’s Office. Chang insisted, too, that Jamaica is not accepting 10,000 illegal immigrants or individuals with criminal convictions. “We have no agreement, no understanding to accept deportees from the United States. We have no agreement or understanding and there are no discussions to accept convicts from the United States,” he told journalists.“In fact, anyone coming from the United States is reviewed by the NIB before I indicate that they can land in the country,” Chang added, making reference to Jamaica’s National Intelligence Bureau. He said TCNs who opt to remain in Jamaica will have to apply through the courts for asylum status. “And if they get asylum status we retain them”. According to Chang, the TCNs included in the new arrangement with the US “are coming literally from being apprehended at the border and sent to Jamaica after some routine checks are done.” “They don’t intend to stay in Jamaica so the United States pays their airfare and they go back home. Their return rate so far has been about 94 per cent,” the deputy prime minister said. He insisted, however, that if all 25 TCNs in the biweekly cohort decide to remain in Jamaica, “we stop the programme immediately” so that there will be no crowding here. “And that’s in the document,” he said. Chang also dismissed suggestions that the US exerted pressure on the Jamaican Government to accept the deal, saying no international discussion can proceed “along that line”. “We are two friendly countries. We have bilateral discussions daily. And that kind of discussion doesn’t take place in a healthy bilateral relationship.”- Livern BarrettFollow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.