On Sunday, May 18, 2025, a 6-meter boat with 42 illegal Haitians crammed aboard reached the rocky shore of Ross Craig, in Long Bay (Portland, Jamaica), shortly after 6:00 a.m., and disembarked on a remote beach fleeing the violence in Haiti.

Police, supported by members of the Jamaican Defense Force, intercepted and arrested the group of illegal migrants, consisting of men, women (one of whom was in the late stages of pregnancy), and children. They were taken to a holding area at the Castle Police Station, near the Priestman River, to undergo medical examinations, as required by law. Many were dehydrated and hungry.

On Monday evening, they were transferred to Port Antonio, where they joined another group of Haitian migrants, previously housed in a retention center awaiting repatriation, according to local authorities.

On Monday, the migrant rights organization Freedom Imaginaries issued a statement urging the Jamaican government to halt deportations and ensure Haitians have access to a fair and effective asylum process.

Founder and human rights lawyer Malene Alleyne called on Jamaican authorities to provide adequate shelter and legal protection to migrants. "International law leaves no room for doubt : the forcible return of individuals to a place where they risk persecution, torture, or other serious or irreparable harm constitutes refoulement, which is strictly prohibited under international refugee law and international human rights law."

Despite these calls, the Jamaican Ministry of National Security confirmed that repatriation arrangements had been made and that the group was returned to Haiti on Monday evening.

The rapid return of migrants has reignited the debate on the Caribbean island's responsibilities under international human rights conventions and its ability to manage the growing number of Haitians fleeing increasingly difficult living conditions in Haiti.

S/ iciHaiti