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a141: Bahamas--Repatriation of illegal immigrants (fwd)
From: Daniel Schweissing <dan_schweissing@hotmail.com>
Repatriations of illegal immigrants
Released Monday, December 31, 2001 at 01:11 am EST by Llonella Gilbert
Illegal immigration a strain on resources
As The Bahamas closes out this year, Bahamians are learning from the
Department of Immigration statistics discouraging news that as of the end of
November, 969 more illegal immigrants were repatriated than last year's
5,801.
What makes this such a sad state of affairs and which may sound to some to
be a cliché, is that many illegal immigrants are fleeing their home
countries for a better way of life, but in the process many of them die or
are sent right back where they originate from. Some of these immigrants
include: Americans, Chinese, Cubans, Kenyans, Dominicans, South Africans,
Turks, Bangladeshis, Nigerians, Nicaraguans, Jamaicans, Colombians,
Uzbekistanis, and Haitians.
However, the bulk of the illegal immigrants come from Haiti. Along with its
long-struggling economy, Haiti has also seen an exacerbation of gang-related
activities focused on overthrowing the government of President Jean
Aristide. In this regard, about two weeks ago, reports from The Bahamas
Embassy in Port-au-Prince and from the Office of the Secretary General of
the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., indicated that both
the Presidential Palace and the private residence of Aristide came under
attack by a band of commandos.
As much as Bahamians may feel sorry for those illegal immigrants coming to
our shores or using our waters in transit to the US, Bahamians are still
annoyed and upset at having to fit the bill to expatriate so many
immigrants. For the first three months of this year alone, the Ministry of
Immigration reported, The Bahamas spent approximately $422,000 repatriating
over 2,000 illegal immigrants. And according to officials at the Detention
Centre, The Bahamas spends about $5 to $7 a day to house and feed each
illegal immigrant who is detained. Those being detained at the Centre
include persons who were smuggled into the country or were caught on their
way to the US and persons who have overstayed their visiting privileges.
However, Bahamians can expect their hard earned dollars to continue going
toward the expatriation of illegal immigrants as long as countries like
Haiti continue to have political unrest and severe poverty.
There are also many Bahamians who are angry at having illegal immigrants
making use of the country's already limited resources. The Bahamian and
legal immigrant population is already putting a strain on resources, so it
is virtually impossible for The Bahamas to take in unfortunate illegal
immigrants.
Nevertheless, the government and people of The Bahamas should remain a
member of those organizations that can help to improve the conditions of
poor and politically violent countries. This may be the only way to ensure
that illegal immigrants place less strain on the Bahamas' resources and find
a better way for themselves.
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