The Government has confirmed that it is negotiating a controversial, United States-backed migration arrangement to allow non-Jamaicans deported from the US to transit through the island, but says it is not opening the country’s borders for an uncontrolled programme.

A statement from the Ministry of National Security and Peace, issued Tuesday afternoon, said the safety and security of Jamaicans and visitors to the island, as well as its obligations under international law, “have guided every step of the discussions on this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Jamaica and the United States of America concerning Third Country Nationals (TCNs).”

The statement follows a Gleaner story published early Tuesday which disclosed that the United States had sent a proposal to the Government regarding Jamaica’s acceptance of third-country nationals.