Jamaican Deportees get help from Diaspora
Key Points(5)
- Involuntary returnees to Jamaica received free legal counsel to review their cases for a possible return to the US.
- This was the third meeting conducted by the attorneys following the Jamaica Diaspora 6th Biennial Conference in June 2015.
- At the meeting at least fourteen (14) Deportees who had derived citizenship from their parents were identified as eligible to return to the U.S.
- Pinnock, a number of Jamaicans with no convictions who took voluntary departure are also eligible to return through their assistance and permission from the government.
- Pinnock noted that the majority of deportees seen had crime related offenses of which the convictions would have to be vacated for them to return or they would need to receive a pardon from the Governors of their respective states.
Involuntary returnees to Jamaica received free legal counsel to review their cases for a possible return to the US.
Attorney Joan Pinnock, President of the Jamaican American Bar Association and NAJASO Board member along with a team of attorneys including Wayne Golding, and Carneta Abarus, MSC from FURI (Family Unification Resettlement Initiative) and her team met with over 300 individuals in Kingston on October 23, 2015 at the Jamaica Theological Seminary.
This was the third meeting conducted by the attorneys following the Jamaica Diaspora 6th Biennial Conference in June 2015. At the meeting at least fourteen (14) Deportees who had derived citizenship from their parents were identified as eligible to return to the U.S. as citizens.
According to Ms. Pinnock, a number of Jamaicans with no convictions who took voluntary departure are also eligible to return through their assistance and permission from the government. Pinnock noted that the majority of deportees seen had crime related offenses of which the convictions would have to be vacated for them to return or they would need to receive a pardon from the Governors of their respective states.
Attorneys Pinnock and Golding had previously successfully returned two (2) deportees to the US on September 20, 2015 as a result of their previous efforts.
With Jamaicans being the highest number of immigrants deported from the United States Golding and Pinnock have dedicated themselves to helping those who are eligible to return to be united with their family members and friends residing in the US through their project initiative.
