THE Jamaican Government has refuted a report in the US media that the country was refusing to accept deportees from the United States, resulting in a clog in that country's penal system.

A report in Monday's edition of the New York Post said US Republican lawmakers were threatening to put on hold all visa applications from Jamaica, Vietnam, China, Iran and India, as these countries were refusing to accept some 140,000 of their citizens who have been slapped with deportation orders.

But permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Major Richard Reese, said the Government was not refusing to accept deportees.

"We are guided by the ruling of the overseas courts. We have excellent relationships with our overseas partners as it relates to deportation and I am not aware of any challenges as it relates to deportation. We have regular flights back here," Reese told the Observer.

Three US Republican senators - Peter King, Arlen Specter and Charlie Dente - said Jamaica's alleged refusal to accept deportees had put a strain on that nation's security as under US law, criminal aliens cannot be held in custody for more than 180 days after being ordered deported or else they must be granted amnesty.

Reese, however, refused to accept blame.

"The amnesty seems to be something they should address," Reese said.

The report also drew the ire of a security ministry source who said the US may be concerned about cutting costs and may be looking to commute the sentences of foreign nationals to allow for early deportation.

"They seem to be very concerned about overcrowding in their prisons and the cost," the source said.

Jamaica has signed extradition treaties with the US, Canada and Britain.

Since 1997, Jamaica has accepted more than 20,000 deportees from these countries.

More than 90 per cent of deportees are males and more than 60 per cent had been convicted in the United States of a felony under provisions of a controversial Illegal Immigration Reform Act.

Most deportees were convicted on drug-related charges including the sale and/or distribution of cocaine and marijuana.