15 Foreign Nationals Denied Entry into Belize, Jamaican Breaks Leg Trying to Escape 

The Department of Border Management and Immigration Services has refused entry to 15 individuals, who are now under guard at the Global Village Hotel pending repatriation. The group comprises 11 Jamaican nationals, including six adults and five minors, who arrived between November 4 and 11, 2024, and four Brazilian nationals who arrived on November 11 via a COPA Airlines flight from Panama. Officials deemed the individuals inadmissible for reasons such as lacking return tickets to their countries of origin, travelling with minors without proper legal documentation, and providing invalid accommodation details. Eight Jamaican nationals listed #111 North Front Street as their place of stay, which upon investigation was found to house businesses and a water taxi service but no known hotel.

Additionally, some hotel bookings were found to have been made with fraudulent credit cards.

Three Jamaican nationals have filed for judicial review regarding their inadmissibility.

The government has expressed concern over the increasing use of Belize as a transit point for smuggling individuals, particularly minors, to the United States and Canada. Authorities have stressed that such activities will not be tolerated. The Acting Port Commander has also reported the situation involving the children in custody to the Department of Human Services.

One of the Jamaicans who was denied entry is 37-year-old Devon Dean, who broke his leg after jumping through the hotel window in an attempt to evade immigration officers. Dean and two other Jamaicans have since retained attorney Norman Rodriguez, who filed for judicial review to challenge their deportation.

Rodriguez argues his clients met all entry requirements, including return tickets and hotel reservations, but were still refused entry. He alleges discrimination against Jamaican nationals and claims immigration officers failed to provide formal notice of detention, contrary to the Immigration Act.