Law

Jamaican Diaspora To Launch Immigration Task Force In NY

By Derrick Scott

NEW YORK – Against the background of moves by the Trump administration to deport undocumented immigrants in the United States, an organization called  “The Jamaica Diaspora Immigration and Deportation Prevention Taskforce (JDIDTPF) will be officially launched in the Bronx, New York, on Friday February 24.

Joan Pinnock launches Jamaica Diaspora Immigration and Deportation Prevention Taskforce
Attorney Joan Pinnock

According to the conceptualizer of the JDIDTPF, Attorney Joan Pinnock, who is also the North-East Diaspora Advisory Board member, the taskforce comprising  twenty-one individuals who are clergy, technology experts, immigration and criminal attorneys and social workers, was convened four months ago with its main focus to educate Jamaicans in the Diaspora about their immigration rights and the benefits of becoming citizens of their host country.

Pinnock also confirmed, “the mission of the JDIDTPF is to assist Jamaicans in the Diaspora to navigate immigration laws to their benefit, to increase the number of naturalized Jamaicans in the Diaspora, reduce the number of Jamaicans deported from their host country and assist in returning Jamaicans who have been wrongly deported”.

Ms. Pinnock pointed out that there are over 3 million Jamaicans living in the Diaspora – USA, Canada and the UK – many of whom have been undocumented for several years and are eligible to apply for US citizenship yet have not done so. Our mission is to help them become citizens of their host countries.

She further pointed out that Jamaican are the largest number of deportees from the United States yearly, with over twenty thousand deported within the last ten years.

Ms. Pinnock stated that high on the agenda for discussion at the launch is the recent immigration executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

Official launch will take place at the Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene at 6:00pm Friday, February 24th 2017.

South Florida Caribbean News

The SFLCN.com Team provides news and information for the Caribbean-American community in South Florida and beyond.

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