Deportation expected today NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A total of 97 Haitian nationals who were apprehended last week near Castle Island, appeared before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux in an Inagua court on Tuesday, charged with illegal landing. The group of 86 males and 11 females were ordered to be deported, and they are scheduled to depart Matthew […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A Haitian vessel with more than 70 undocumented Haitians was apprehended by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) approximately 30 nautical miles northwest of Inagua on Thursday afternoon. A statement released by the RBDF said the apprehension happened sometime after 2:20 p.m. on Thursday, and was a joint operation of the RBDF […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Minister of Immigration and Financial Services, Brent Symonette said yesterday that despite the Bahamas’ growing relationship with China, the country should not worry about an influx of Chinese migrants to our shores. “There have been Heads of Agreements entered into with the government, with regards to Baha Mar and now with The […]
The Department of Immigration is almost up to date with work permit applications, according to Minister of Immigration and Financial Services Brent Symonette. “We’re two weeks behind in work permit applications,” the minister said in a recent interview. “One third of those are getting replied to electronically as oppose to in the post. “When I […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On the heels of a human rights report which suggested that Immigration Officers were being bribed, Minister of Immigration Brent Symonette said yesterday that no legitimate cases have been reported to him. “We have to be careful. People go around saying this one [has] bribed that one, this one [has] bribed [the […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The proposed Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill, which is intended to replace the current Immigration Bill, was released prematurely, Minister of Immigration Brent Symonette revealed on Tuesday. “The new Immigration Bill is not out for consultation, yet it was unfortunately put up on the AGs website,” Symonette told reporters before heading to […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A total of 40 migrants were detained after they were apprehended in the southern Bahamas on Tuesday morning by members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). The RBDF said acting on information received, HMBS Durward Knowles, under the command of Senior Lieutenant Bertram Bowleg, apprehended a 35-ft Haitian sloop off the […]
Rights Bahamas calls on Immigration to cease roadblocks and arbitrary detention NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A total of 45 foreign nationals were arrested on Friday, April 5, 2019 during ‘Operation Western Sweep’ – a joint operation of the Department of Immigration, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. A statement released from the […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Activist and lawyer Fred smith, QC, yesterday described the government’s proposed Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill 2018 as “a step in the right direction but not enough”. The new bill seeks to finally address the long-standing problem of statelessness and the rights of Bahamians to pass on their citizenship. In an interview with […]
Proposed Nationality Bill calls for persons to apply for status or face deportation, jail NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Persons born in The Bahamas after July 9th 1973, to parents who were not Bahamian, and failed to apply for citizenship before their 19th birthday, would lose this right and would only have six months to apply for […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Attorney General Carl Bethel revealed on Monday that the Order in the shanty town case has been amended. “The order in the shanty town case was amended to prevent any building anywhere in the Bahamas that is not according to code,” Bethel said. “The shanty town case itself has not been sat […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Six foreign nationals were charged in a magistrate’s court last Thursday, March 14, 2019, on charges of illegal landing or overstaying. According to a statement issued from the Department of Immigration, the foreign nationals comprised of five Haitians and one Jamaican, who were arraigned before magistrate Carolina Evans in magistrate court number […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Rights Bahamas is calling on the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the Bahamas Immigration Department in light of the U.S. Department of State’s 2018 Human Rights Report. The report, released earlier this week on Wednesday, outlined that there has been “widespread, credible” reports that […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – There have been “widespread, credible” reports that Bahamian immigration officials physically abused detainees and officials “solicited bribes” to either prevent detention following raids or facilitate release, according to the United States government. “Numerous Haitian migrants reported being detained by immigration officials and solicited for bribes of $3,000 Bahamian dollars (one Bahamian dollar […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The United States has highlighted a series of shortcomings in The Bahamas’ immigration and detention process as well as its legal framework, and said while there have been efforts to improve procedure as it relates to migrants, gaps remain as it relates to the treatment, conditions and imprisonment of people in this […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A total of 11 foreign nationals were arraigned in a magistrate’s court on Tuesday on various charges ranging from possession of a fraudulent extension stamp, overstaying, illegal landing and engaging in gainful occupation without the right to work. The foreign nationals appeared in court number eight before Magistrate Subusola Swain. A statement […]
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Eleven foreign nationals were convicted in a magistrate’s court on Wednesday. The nationals comprised of nine Haitians and two Jamaicans. The nationals were arraigned in magistrate’s court number 11 before Magistrate Kara Turnquest for various immigration offences. A statement released yesterday from the Department of Immigration outlined that the 11 foreign nationals […]
FREEPORT, BAHAMAS – Fifteen foreign nationals were convicted in a Grand Bahama magistrate’s court on Tuesday, March 5. The foreign nationals comprised of 12 Haitians, two Chinese and one Colombian. The foreign nationals were all arraigned in magistrate’s court number three before magistrate Rengin Johnson and were convicted of the following charges respectively. Delise Gedilis, […]
