US immigration conducts single adult, family unit removal flights to Caribbean countries

(CMC) — The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has collaborated with the US Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to facilitate removal flights, including single adults and family units, of undocumented immigrants to Jamaica and other Caribbean countries.

On Friday, ICE said that nationals of Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica were deported, as well as citizens from Central America, Cape Verde, and Liberia.

“During each of the past two weeks, we have conducted over 30 repatriation flights transporting thousands of individuals back to their country of origin and have repatriated over 5,000 individuals directly to Mexico,” ICE said.

“Non-citizens who lack a lawful basis to stay in the United States will be removed, consistent with US law,” it added.

“In keeping with standard practice, the United States ensures that all non-citizens without a legal basis to remain in the United States are properly screened for valid protection claims and withholding of removal in accordance with our laws and US international obligations,” it added.

ICE said this applies to all non-citizens, regardless of nationality, “to ensure the orderly and humane processing, transfer, and removal of single adults and family units.”

The immigration enforcement agency said that Caribbean and other non-citizens placed into removal proceedings present their claims for relief or protection from removal before immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the US Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.

“Due to operational security reasons, ICE does not confirm or discuss future or pending transportation operations,” it said, stating that its Air Operations facilitates the transfer and removal of non-citizens, including family units, via commercial airlines and chartered flights in support of ICE field offices and other DHS initiatives.

In fiscal year 2022, ICE said its Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted 72,177 removals to more than 150 countries worldwide.