NEW ANTI-TERRORISM laws have been wreaking havoc on the lives of many Jamaican nationals living within the United States, so much so that it could soon affect their ability to send remittances back home, a group of overseas Jamaicans have warned.
Addressing a Gleaner's Editors' Forum at the newspaper's North Street offices yesterday, it was said that since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., a number of laws some draconian and under the guise of fighting terrorism, such as the Patriot Act have been passed.
The new laws make it easier for both documented and non-documented or illegal immigrants to be either deported or imprisoned, sometimes under the flimsiest of charges, said forum participants.
"Since 9/11, a lot of things have transpired," said Irwine Clare, managing director of Caribbean Immigration Services Inc. in New York.
"As immigrants, we now find ourselves in between the war on terrorism... we are now in the direct line of fire. Not a day goes by when Attorney-General John Aschroft a man who incidentally prays every morning before he goes to work does not find a way to streamline and curtail the existence of immigrants in the United States."
Under the Patriot Act, said Mr. Clare, immigrants, including lawful permanent residents (green card holders), whom the attorney-general determines to be a threat to national security, can be deported without due process, without evidence of a crime, criminal intent or terrorism.
"What is forgotten is the role we play in building the United States and our continued contributions to that country. What they have done is to put a lot of pressure on the Jamaican diaspora... on remittances. It probably hasn't shown up yet (in) a reduction of remittances to this country... but it is going to come under a lot of pressure very soon."
Sir William 'Bill' Morris said that while remittances now contribute significantly to Jamaica's economy, it should not be relied on as a primary source of income for the country.
"It should not be the central aspect," said the former general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union in the United Kingdom. "Yes it's a big contributor but there should be more focus in connecting with Jamaicans living in the diaspora in the areas of skills training, technology and education."
