The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell said the country is seeing an increase in the number of Cuban migrants illegally entering the Bahamian jurisdiction in their attempts to reach the United States.

The wave of migrants from Cuba, he said, is being driven by rumours and the feeling that the law in the US is going to soon change regarding the ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy.

“As far as we know there is not any anticipated change (in that US policy),” Mr Mitchell told The Tribune on Tuesday when contacted about the frequent interdictions of Cuban migrants in the Cay Sal Bank area.

Nearly 60 Cuban migrants have been intercepted by the US Coast Guard at Cay Sal Bank and brought to Grand Bahama so far this month.

According to immigration officials, in each group processed there have been repeat offenders who have been repatriated previously from The Bahamas. The latest group of six was apprehended and brought to Grand Bahama on Saturday on board the US Coast Guard Cutter Bernard Webber.

Mr Mitchell said that the Cubans will not stop in their attempts to reach the United States.

“There has been an uptick in the number of Cubans trying to get into the Bahamas. The analysis has not been provided to me to say that there have been repeats, and that’s possibly so. And what we have been advised by our international partners about what is driving this is the feeling that the law in the US is going to change with regard to the ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy, and so people are trying to get into the States before that change of policy.

“As far as we know there is not any anticipated change and I would guess given the structure of the legislature and the US that that is not a possibility because they are the ones who are going to have to change it. But that is what they say is driving it - the rumours.”

He added: “What the effect of that law is, is once you get to the US you basically get permanent residence or the right to reside, whereas other nationalities don’t have to go through any procedures, so there’s special procedures which apply to Cubans only.

“So this is why for example there was a bit of back and forth in the press with regards to the two people (Carlos Pupa and Lazaro Seara – the Cuban men imprisoned in The Bahamas for three years) who the US said they did not want back in the US… it is again because of that policy - once you get there it is very difficult to be expelled; so whether you were there unlawfully before, whether they did not want you there, once you get on land in the US the law says that you can stay,” he explained.

Mr Mitchell stated that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force partners with the US Coast Guard and assets are positioned in such a way to take care of any eventuality in the Cay Sal Bank area.

“What I would say also is that we are in the preliminary stages of seeking additional talks with the Cubans because we still think that the turnaround time for Cuban migrants leaving this country is just still too long - part of it is administrative delay on our side and part of it is administrative delay on the other side.

“But we have reduced the time down to about three weeks, when really it should be down to 72 hours; but there are various procedures which government say has to be done in terms of identifying their citizens.”

Mr Mitchell said the Cubans are a security problem at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre and noted that several times in the last few months they had to send in special police units there to assist the defence force to make sure there is order in the facility.

Immigration officials in Grand Bahama have also seen an increase in the number of Chinese, Brazilians, Filipinos, and other nationalities coming to the Bahamas legally on visitor’s visas, overstaying their time, and taking preparatory steps to be illegally smuggled into the US.

It is believed that the influx of illegal migrants would stop if the Bahamas had tougher laws against illegal entry like Cuba or Mexico where it is a felony and there are penalties up to 10 years and two years, respectively.