New immigration restrictions designed to clamp down on illegal migration ...particularly from Haiti

New Rules To Tackle Illegal Immigration

Tribune242:


IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell announced that government will impose new immigration restrictions in a bid to clamp down on illegal migration, particularly from Haiti.

This includes the consideration of a ban on people who have previously entered the Bahamas illegally and have been deported from ever obtaining legal status. As of November, the government will also impose new work permit procedures, the Fox Hill MP said.

He said the government will also mandate, as of November, that all people living in the Bahamas have a passport of their nationality.

“With effect from November 1, 2014 new procedures are to come into force with regard to work permit procedures, and it is envisaged that the regulations will be amended and the policies accordingly,” he said.

He said that as of November 1, the government aims to have employers who are applying for first-time work permit holders who are residents of Haiti to come to the Department of Immigration and pay the $100 processing fee, provide a labour certificate, cover letter, stamp tax of $30 and the employee information sheet in Nassau.

He said that information will be forwarded to the Embassy of the Bahamas in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where the applicant will fill out the application form and provide the supporting documents. The applicant must be certified as personally seen by an embassy officer in Port au Prince, he said.

“I also wish to announce that we will as of November 1 require all persons who live in the Bahamas to have a passport of the country of their nationality,” Mr Mitchell said. “Those people who have been born here will get a particular residence permit which will allow them to work and live here until such time as their status pursuant to any application under the terms of the Constitution is decided.

“This will also allow access of children to school. This will not apply to the children of those who are here illegally. The Haitian president and the ambassador have confirmed that they will be able to meet the demand for these passports.”

Mr Mitchell said that holding a foreign passport does not prejudice the right of anyone under the Constitution to apply for citizenship of the Bahamas.

He also said that “with immediate effect” the government will not accept applications for people who do not have legal status to work in the country.

“Anyone who comes to do so, the application will be refused and the applicant will be arrested and charged and deported,” he said in the House of Assembly. “The Cabinet is considering a permanent prospective ban on all people who have come here illegally and have been deported so that they will not ever be able to qualify for a permanent status in the Bahamas.

“We are allowing a period for comment before proceeding with a formal proposal in this regard. The intention is to have new regulations or policies in place on this subject by January 1, 2015, subject to any exigencies,” he said.

It is also proposed that as of November 1, the practice of issuing certificates of identity to non-nationals born here will cease.

“These will only be for Bahamians who have a need for an emergency travel document or where in accordance with our international obligations we are to issue them to non-nationals,” the minister said.

He said the new rules are necessary to crack down on the “criminality involved in immigration”.

“This requires the efforts of all Bahamians to guard our borders and protect our country. We are particularly concerned about what is happening in Abaco and special attention is being paid to that island and to Eleuthera where many residents believe that things have gotten totally out of hand. It is important for us to address it before it gets out of hand.

“There are reports that there are in some sections of those islands no go areas for public officials. This cannot stand and this will be stopped.”

Nearly 100 illegal Haitian immigrants were picked up by Defence Force officers on Monday. On Tuesday five Cubans were picked up by officials on Cay Lobos. 

September 18, 2014

Tribune 242

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 2

The Bahamas Haitian Situation ‐ Part 2

By Apostle Cedric Moss
March 18, 2004

Was Aristide forced out?  Many are discussing this question locally and abroad and choosing which account they believe, Aristide's or The United States of America's.  In my view, beyond the need to give it some consideration at the diplomatic level, whichever account is right, it makes little difference for The Bahamas.  The situation of tens of thousands of illegal Haitian immigrants in our country still represents one of our biggest national challenges and the academic discussion about Mr. Aristide only distracts us from focusing on much needed proactive solutions.

The Proposed Agreement

For the past 10 years, efforts have been made by The Bahamas' government to enter into an agreement with the Haitian government to cover mass repatriation of Haitians residing in The Bahamas.  To date, the agreement is still not signed and with the current unstable climate in Haiti, it is not likely to be signed any time soon.  However, even if we could sign the agreement today, what would it really accomplish?

As I understand it, this agreement was initially negotiated around 1994.  The intention was to seek to regularize Haitians who have resided in The Bahamas prior to 1985 and to repatriate those who arrived illegally after that date.  Had the agreement been signed and implemented around the time it was initially negotiated, tens of thousands of Haitians who had illegally resided in The Bahamas for periods of one to ten years would have been repatriated.  Among them would have been thousands of children born to Haitian parents, even though such children have the right to apply for Bahamian citizenship at age 18.

Considering that 1985 is still the threshold year for the agreement waiting to be executed, Haitians who have illegally resided in The Bahamas for as long as 19 years could potentially be repatriated.  While we as a country have the legal right to repatriate them, even without a signed agreement, would it be the humane thing to do after allowing them to remain for so many years?  How would we manage the future fallout that would come from the generations of Bahamians born to Haitian parents who were subjected to this traumatic experience?

Alternative Solutions

Am I proposing that we officially absorb the unknown tens of thousands of illegal Haitian immigrants currently residing in The Bahamas as opposed to repatriating them?  No, I'm not proposing that at all.  However, I am saying that we need to consider alternative solutions, because we know full well that repatriation is only a temporary solution, and a costly one at that.

While I believe successive governments of The Bahamas have sought international assistance to deal with the problem of illegal immigration from Haiti, it's my view that we need to redouble our efforts in this direction.  Somehow, we need to involve The United States, Canada, France and The United Nations in order to seek both short and long term solutions to the problems in Haiti and the illegal immigration situation we face as a result.  The reality is that unless Haiti stabilizes and attracts investment to create jobs, Haitians will continue to leave in search of a better way of life and The Bahamas is their logical first destination.

Here to Stay

For many Haitians, they are far beyond making that desperate seas voyage from Haiti to The Bahamas; they are already here.  And they are here to stay.  Some came prior to 1985 and much later.  While they were enduring exploitation by far too many of us, they seemed to have followed the advice Prophet Jeremiah gave to the Israelites who were in exile in Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.  Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.  Increase in number there; do not decrease". (Jeremiah 29:5-6, NIV).  The Haitians also followed another one: Educate your children.  All of these they have done, so uprooting and deporting them today is not near as easy as it was 25 years ago.

Preview of Next Week

Since Haitians are here to stay in large numbers, how can we manage their assimilation for the overall good of The Bahamas?  Join me next week when I conclude my commentary and answer this question.

Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Commentary and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 1>>>

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 3>>>