Amidst significant concerns expressed among Bahamians about illegal immigration, Minister of Immigration Keith Bell rejected the claim that there is an immigration crisis in The Bahamas and declared that the government “absolutely” has illegal immigration under control.
When asked to respond to the Free National Movement (FNM) calling on the government to do more to address the illegal immigration crisis, Bell responded, “What immigration crisis?”
He added, “We have always had these issues and challenges in this country and the government has put all of its resources, and I commend the law enforcement agents.
“What the opposition needs to do is get behind our law enforcement and the government to ensure that we continue to put our best foot forward and we have to speak collectively with one voice.”
When asked if the government has the situation under control, Bell replied, “Absolutely, we do.”
He said Bahamian authorities have intercepted “every boat” that has attempted to enter Bahamian waters with undocumented migrants, though it was unclear how he was able to definitively conclude that.
Bell was responding to FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright, who, on Sunday, called on the government to address “the illegal immigration crisis”.
“This is not a question of xenophobia as we all recognize that legal immigrants, particularly those from our sister Caribbean countries, have played a vital role in helping to build our nation,” Cartwright said.
“This is a question of ensuring a long-term sustainable future for the Bahamian people who have an inalienable right and privilege to expect that their patronage be secured and their interest to be prioritized in their own country.”
Cartwright pointed to the burial on Saturday of nine women and an infant, who were victims of a human smuggling tragedy off New Providence on July 24.
The infant’s mother was pregnant with him at the time of the incident, but he was removed from her womb by authorities after her body was retrieved, and was placed in her coffin.
Eight other deceased victims were claimed by their families.
While Bell stated there exists no crisis in immigration in The Bahamas, last week, Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder expressed worries over illegal immigrants in an Abaco shantytown he said has sprung up in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, which destroyed the Mud and Pigeon Peas shantytowns in 2019.
Pinder said the illegal immigrants in the shantytown are a threat to national security.
He said people of Haitian descent who have been in The Bahamas all of their lives also live in the shantytown, but “there’s another group that wants to basically just take over and that’s the aggressive group that does not care and is the biggest problem”.
Cartwright said the government must enforce the immigration laws.
“That a government MP can pinpoint an entire community of illegal migrants that the government has left undisturbed is scandalous,” he said.
“That the Department of Immigration has not yet been compelled to act is baffling.
“We are all aware that the shantytown issue on Abaco is before the courts, but there are apparently many other laws being violated that do not pertain to the buildings in those communities.”
At a funeral service on Saturday for nine unidentified women and an infant who were among those killed in a human smuggling tragedy off New Providence on July 24, Ambassador Louis Harold Joseph, chargè d’affaires at the Embassy of Haiti in The Bahamas, called on Haitians to avoid risking their lives in illegal operations.
“My brothers and sisters, it is true that the situation in our country is difficult, but this is not a sufficient reason to undertake perilous trips,” Joseph said.
“The organizers of illegal trips are not necessarily in your interest. Their main motive is to make money. If they were in your interest, they would have taken all the necessary measures to protect the lives of their passengers, the life that the Lord God gave us and that we have the obligation to protect.”
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) has reported apprehending significant numbers of migrants — mainly Haitians —in Bahamian waters since January.
More than 2,600 migrants have been apprehended so far this year, according to authorities.
Those figures exceed apprehension figures over the last three years.
According to data provided by the RBDF, 342 migrants were apprehended in 2019, 249 in 2020 and 1,644 in 2021.
The Department of Immigration repatriated over 1,800 Haitians between January 1 and September 7.
Economic and social challenges have worsened in Haiti, which, in recent months, has witnessed various atrocities at the hands of street gangs.
In August, Prime Minister Philip Davis said the deteriorating situation in that country is a concern for Bahamian officials and highlighted that it poses a security issue for The Bahamas.
Last month, the spokesman for United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres said Guterres was “deeply concerned” about Haiti’s situation where civil unrest has brought the country to a standstill.
“The secretary general is particularly preoccupied with the safety of all Haitians including the most vulnerable and calls for calm and maximum restraint,” the spokesman said.
“He urges all relevant stakeholders to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation, avoid violence and allow the Haitian National Police to fulfill its role to protect the population.”
From January to the end of June, the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner documented 934 killings, 684 injuries and 680 kidnappings across the capital.
Over a five-day period, from July 8-12, at least 234 more people were killed or injured in gang-related violence in the Cité Soleil area of the city.
The Bahamas is expected to host a meeting with CARICOM leaders this year to discuss the deteriorating situation in Haiti.