Jamaicans living in the United States who are at risk of being deported because of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown should consider returning home on their own and help build their nation’s wealth, the country’s leader says. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness became the latest leader in the hemisphere to call on nationals to consider returning home.

Last month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro urged undocumented Colombians in the U.S. to come return — he even offered them loans — after getting into a diplomatic standoff with President Donald Trump over his deportation policies. Holness said his government respects the sovereign right of any country to determine its internal security, public order and social policy. Jamaicans living abroad should follow the laws of the countries where they reside. But should they run into difficulties, Jamaicans should know that they are welcomed to return to their homeland, he said.

“You’re not homeless, you’re not stateless,” Holness said Monday in a public address. “Come back.” “Don’t stay and suffer,” he added.

Since taking office last month, Trump has revived dozens of immigration policies from his first term in an effort to hold true to his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration and deport migrants. He has expanded immigration enforcement to include migrants, like Venezuelans, legally residing in the U.S., and federal agencies are planning large-scale raids.

The new policies have created fears in the immigrant communities across the U.S., and provoked criticism from regional leaders who have long criticized the U.S. for sending back migrants, especially those accused of committing crimes in the U.S. In recent weeks, some leaders have also criticized the conditions under which people are being returned: in shackles.

That was the case with Petro, who on Jan. 26 sent out a note saying the U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals, and announced that he had stopped the landing of military U.S. airplanes returning immigrants back to the South American country. The move triggered a diplomatic standoff between the leftist leader and Trump, who threatened to impose tariffs. The Trump administration also temporarily revoked visas for Colombian government officials and subjected visiting nationals to second immigration screenings upon their arrival at Miami International Airport, before relations returned to normal after Petro backed down.

Days later, in another early morning post on X, Petro called on undocumented Colombians to join him in building their country’s wealth and he urged them “to immediately leave their jobs in that country and return to Colombia as soon as possible.”

Jamaica hasn’t had the same experience with the new administration as Colombia, but the policy shift in the United States is creating concerns in South Florida, where there are 96,000-plus Jamaicans in Broward County, making it home to the largest concentration from that country in the U.S., according to the 2020 Census.

The reality requires a mind shift, Holness told the Miami Herald in a follow up to his appeal to his countrymen. “Our economic prosperity will not come from overseas. We must now look for our own economic independence and I am confident that we have the skills and resources to accomplish this,” he said. “Despite the challenges we have locally, Jamaica is our homeland and we must all put hands and heart to build it.”

As a service economy, Jamaica “has gone through an amazing transformation in the management of the economy and public finances,” Holness said. “We are now in the dispensation of diversifying the productive base, upskilling our workforce, building out infrastructure and increasing productivity.” The largest of the English-speaking Caribbean islands, Jamaica has gone from decades of little to no growth and a high crime rate to experiencing growth in the economy and a significant reduction in crime.

In 2023, the country reported a drop in all major crimes, with murders reduced by 7.8%, shootings by about 6%, and rape, robbery and burglary seeing as much as a 17% drop. Last year, despite a number of high-profile incidents including a politician being charged with the killing of his wife, the country saw a 19% drop in homicides compared to the previous year.

In encouraging Jamaicans to return home, Holness also issued a stern warning: “Don’t come back here to destroy your homeland and what we have been working very hard to create so that you wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place.”

“Expect to be dealt with with a firm hand if your intent is criminal,” he said. Holness told the Herald that the country has a lot of opportunities to offer members of its large diaspora.

The unemployment rate is currently a low 3.5% and after years of being on the verge of bankruptcy, Jamaica is now financially stable and its tourism economy is growing. “For decades Jamaica has been a net exporter of talent. While this has fostered a large diaspora that supports the flow of remittances, it has come with significant opportunity cost for the development of the economy,” Holness said. “Shortage of skilled labor is now a constraint on growth as the country approaches full employment.”

Holness acknowledged that there are significant wage differences between the U.S. and Jamaican economies. But unlike in the U.S., residents don’t have to look over their shoulders while going about their daily lives because they are undocumented, he said.

There is also another plus, the prime minister added. “Those who gained skills and exposure in areas such as technology, construction, hospitality and healthcare could find it easier to meaningfully reintegrate into the Jamaican economy,” said Holness. “For those who may be returned without skills, Jamaica’s training agency offers free training to persons seeking skills or certification of prior learning.”

This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 4:23 PM.

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