A Jamaican-American advocate has formally requested that members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation launch an inquiry into the third-country nationals (TCN) agreement signed between Jamaica and the United States (US).In a letter sent to federal lawmakers, New Jersey constituent Patrick Beckford asked US senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, as well as Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, to demand full transparency from the US Department of State about the memorandum of understanding (MOU) governing the transfer, housing, and screening of migrant populations.Beckford also wants clarity on potential US taxpayer expenditures, the specific categories of individuals slated for “transit” through Jamaica, and the legal authority under which the deal was brokered.“Because this agreement appears to involve immigration policy, foreign relations, and potentially the expenditure of US taxpayer resources, I respectfully request that your offices seek clarification from the US Department of State and any other relevant federal agencies regarding the following matters,” he said.He asked the US lawmakers to request disclosure on the operational, financial, and legal framework of the deal, Minister of National Security and Peace Dr Horace Chang said was signed three weeks ago.Beckford wants the lawmakers to press federal agencies to clarify the exact demographics of the transferred individuals, including whether the arrangement covered families, children, asylum seekers, or persons with criminal records.He said the agencies must also disclose the legal authority, diplomatic origin, and specific US and Jamaican officials responsible for executing the agreement.Further, Beckford wants an inquiry to outline the precise duration of stays, the implementation of human rights and medical screening protections, and whether any financial compensation or taxpayer-funded grants were exchanged to facilitate the arrangement.He also questioned whether Congress was bypassed prior to the signing and demanded reporting mechanisms and periodic public disclosures to ensure ongoing accountability.COMPLEX AND POLITICALLY CHALLENGING“As Americans, we recognise that immigration policy is often complex and politically challenging. Nevertheless, democratic societies function best when governments operate transparently and remain accountable to the people they serve. Agreements affecting sovereign nations, taxpayer resources, and vulnerable individuals should be subject to appropriate public scrutiny rather than uncertainty or speculation,” he said.“The Jamaican-American community has long maintained strong cultural, economic, and civic ties to both countries. Many of us simply seek factual information so that public discussion may be guided by evidence rather than rumour.“Accordingly, I respectfully request that your offices make formal inquiries of the Department of State and any other appropriate federal agencies and, where possible, share the resulting information with your constituents,” said Beckford in the three-page letter.The Jamaican Government has maintained that the controversial migration agreement with the US is a “non-binding, temporary transit arrangement” and not a permanent resettlement programme.Chang said the MOU establishes a tightly controlled processing mechanism, capping intake at a maximum of 25 deportees every two weeks.They are expected to remain on the island for a 14-day period while awaiting transit to their home countries or final destinations. However, he said they will not be detained and could apply for asylum through the court. They are expected to be monitored by the International Organization for Migration.The minister said a strict operational safeguard exists where if the number of transit individuals remaining in the country exceeds 10 at any point within a 30-day window, the arrangement will be paused.At the same time, both Chang and Information Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon have insisted that the MOU is a US-initiated arrangement, even as a diplomatic note from the US Embassy in Kingston identified former ambassador to the US and Cabinet Minister Audrey Marks as proposing the deal.Marks earlier this week denied that she made the proposal for Jamaica to receive up to 10,000 TCNs, arguing that separate issues have been conflated.She said the discussions around the TCN MOU were being conflated with a proposal she made to recruit skilled workers to Jamaica while serving as Jamaica’s ambassador to the US in March 2025.editorial@gleanerjm.com