Nine more third-country nationals, TCNs, who arrived in Jamaica on October 13, have returned to their home countries.

This brings to 10 the total number of TCNs who have been repatriated to date.

Foreign affairs minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, provided the update at Wednesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House.

The group of 22 TCNs arrived under the government’s transit arrangement with the United States. They comprised 15 men and seven women, predominantly from Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Honduras. The batch arrived amid mounting concerns about the controversial deal.

Meanwhile, Minister Johnson Smith says while there are countries that have signed agreements with the US to receive TCNs with criminal backgrounds, Jamaica is not one of them.

Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, foreign affairs minister.