Small percentage of Jamaicans will benefit from new US immigration policy - attorney

   

Immigration attorney Wayne Golding says the majority of Jamaicans who enter the United States have done so through legal channels.

 

Mr. Golding, who is based in Florida, says as a result, not many Jamaicans will fall into the category of undocumented spouses of US citizens. 

 

"With respect to Jamaicans, over the years the surveys have found that most Jamaicans come into the United States legally. There are very few in percentage that actually cross the border illegally or sneak into the country or use other people's documents to get into the country. So overall, not a lot of Jamaicans would fall into that category, so to speak, although there are those who would benefit from it," he was reasoned Thursday while speaking on the Morning Agenda on Power 106. 

 

On Tuesday, United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order that will apply to those persons who have been in that country for at least 10 years and are married to a US citizen as of June 17.

 

Mr. Golding has urged persons to seek legal advice while giving details on some of the documents that will be required. 

 

"First of all, you have to prove that you have been in the United States for 10 years or more. So you need to get whatever documentation to support that. It can range from affidavits from folks, to any sort of documentation that you would have gotten in the mail, documents with your address, where you've worked, all these things, because they're just not going to take you a word for it. They want to see some sort of proof in documentation. The one thing I'd advise people to do though is to make sure you use an immigration attorney," he said.