Friday, December 6, 2024
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has firmly rejected the proposal from US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team for The Bahamas to accept deported foreign migrants whose home countries refuse to take them back.
A report by NBC News included The Bahamas on a list of countries with Turks and Caicos, Panama and Grenada.
It remains unclear whether the deported migrants would be permitted to legally stay, work, and live in the countries they are sent to.
An Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) statement yesterday said the matter was presented to the Bahamian government and was reviewed.
“The Bahamas simply does not have the resources to accommodate such a request. The Prime Minister priorities remain focused on addressing the concerns of The Bahamian people,” the read.
“Since the Prime Minister’s rejection of this proposal, there has been no further engagement or discussions with the Trump transition team or any other entity regarding this matter. The Government of The Bahamas remains committed in its position.”
OPM communications director Latrae Rahming said this is not a contentious issue between the government of The Bahamas and the Trump administration.
“The government of The Bahamas see the US as our valued partners,” he said. “The prime minister and by extension the administration look forward to working along with the incoming Trump administration.”
“The Bahamas position on migration has been consistent, both in the FNM and the PLP. Our position is The Bahamas do not have the resources to deal or accommodate with large migration flows.”
Similarly, Turks and Caicos Immigration Minister Arlington Musgrove stated his government will not accept deportees from the United States or any other nation who are not citizens of Turks and Caicos.
He emphasised that Turks and Caicos will not engage in programmes that forcibly relocate individuals against their will or the country’s wishes.
“Turks and Caicos, like all nations, has the sovereign right to determine who may reside within its borders. The unilateral imposition of third-country deportation policies, such as those reportedly under consideration by the incoming Trump administration, is fundamentally at odds with international norms and legal standards.”
“We are deeply concerned about any suggestion of displacing individuals to countries with which they have no connection. Such policies disregard the cultural, social, and economic implications for receiving countries and the humanitarian impact on the individuals affected.”
He added Turks and Caicos is already facing significant challenges managing irregular migration and the accompanying strain on resources.
Comments
GodSpeed says...
What did they offer for the Bahamas to do this? Not going to do it on air. You'd need to give the Bahamas some Billions like the US gives to Egypt, Israel and Ukraine them maybe we'd think about it 😉
Posted 6 December 2024, 12:15 p.m. Suggest removal
realfreethinker says...
ya'll cant see this is distraction?
Posted 6 December 2024, 12:21 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Bingo!
Posted 6 December 2024, 3:38 p.m. Suggest removal
Observer says...
We, the Citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, must not allow this kind of foreign intrusion, at any price. Who will be the Deportees? Would we choose any deported foreigner, whom the Americans classify as Criminals? Once the serpent is allowed into our busom we would have surrendered our sovereignty, security and any semblance of control. No amount of Dollars could compensate for that loss. Forget it.
Posted 6 December 2024, 1:52 p.m. Suggest removal
buddah17 says...
Yes Sir/Madam;
You are 120% correct in your statement!
Posted 6 December 2024, 5:08 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
"[A]t any price" would include The Bahamas no longer having US pre-clearance facilities or US tourists as is currently the case for Cuba. And Trump has already made it known that he is no fan of the cruise line industry.
Posted 9 December 2024, 9:07 a.m. Suggest removal
Entrepreneur says...
Like many, I am very excited abut the Trump administration and believe DJT, Elon, RFK, Tucker and Tulsi all deserve immense thanks. But, the Bahamas immigration policy should perhaps be a model for the USA - you come here illegally, no rights - and if caught back you go. So, NO!! Obviously the country that should take them is Mexico, as they caused so much damn trouble allowing them to cross in the first place. Take 'em back or increase the 25% to 35% tarrif.
Posted 6 December 2024, 3:07 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
They're made for tv actors. Trump picked them because they look good on scripted tv. Was just having a conversation and told the individual the same thing that tripped them up in 45 will trip them up in 47.... "*time*".
Posted 6 December 2024, 8:15 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
How best to defend against **a "real" MAGA attack?** -- A recurring, forever in crosshairs threat by Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who in the strongest MAGA language, has already threatened that the US has plans in place to **'flatten'** the Colony's entire chain of 1200 Out Islands, Cays, Towns and Settlements at the first sign of aggressiveness against the US. -- And that was a war threat made under the Biden administration. -- Under a Trump administration, would a rejection of a US request fall under: -- ***Prepare to "lock-on" to strike targets with short-range missiles?** -- Pray for Fort Charlotte, Fort Fincastle and Fort Montagu's Cannons are prepped and with sufficient cannon balls at the ready. -- And their missile approach warning sensors (MAWS) to detect incoming missile threats are up and operational. -- Are there possibilities' of colony's visitors to Florida, being captured and assets forfeited? -- Comrades, Ya'll tell me -- Yes?
Posted 6 December 2024, 4:11 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
The incoming Trump administration has made it known that four countries in the Caribbean/West Indian region are an existential threat to the national security interests of the U.S.A. They are: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and The Bahamas.
Posted 6 December 2024, 4:15 p.m. Suggest removal
buddah17 says...
If that becomes a reality, then we need closer ties with China......
Posted 6 December 2024, 5:11 p.m. Suggest removal
Proguing says...
Yep, only China can save us now
Posted 6 December 2024, 9:20 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Cuba thought it needed Russia and just look at what happened to that relationship. Today Cuba is a borderline failed state that is finding it increasingly difficult to get enough food for its people, let alone keep its lights on at night. And believe me when I say that China will be much less of a saviour for us than Russia was for Cuba.
The ideology of the PLP and the likes of slime green Fwreddy Boy Mitchell have literally destroyed the mutually beneficial relationship that our small nation once enjoyed with the U.S. Make no mistake about it, Communist China is ruthlessly evil, much more so than the U.S. could ever be notwithstanding all the rhetoric from elitist PLP ruling class that would have us believe otherwise. Accordingly, be very careful what you pray for my friend.
Posted 7 December 2024, 11:31 a.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
"**Reposted from Thursday last week** I dont know why we cant be proactive:
*The PM, Fred Mitchell, Chester Cooper, Wayne Munroe and The Commissioner are unserious. The US and every citizen knows it.*
***The next shoe to drop will be illegal immigration. The US takes that as a serious threat**. Right around 2021 the US released Adrian Fox who was charged with smuggling Chinese nationals and they said he was very helpful, like a canary*
Posted 6 December 2024, 8:19 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
If wonder if Fox revealed any details about armed forces, planes or high ranking politicians...
Posted 8 December 2024, 10:46 a.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
On the floor of the House of Assembly during what was pre planned as the opposition's most high-profiled action under Pintard's leadership -- At what stage of the **pre planner's execution** was the monitors seeing Mr. Minnis, so as to have **captured him on video footage:** -- Yes?
Posted 7 December 2024, 2:46 p.m. Suggest removal
Socrates says...
if Donald J Trump decides that US will deport to last country of departure, it will happen or they can easily make life very difficult for most bahamians especially with an election on the horizon.. e.g withdraw preclearance or maybe stop Police certificate travel? lots of small things they can do before they go deeper.
Posted 8 December 2024, 8:47 a.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Or they can put great pressure on *a high ranking politician* to make it happen.
**This is why this "*high ranking politician*" is one of the greatest threats ever to our national security and should be removed immediately from the seat of power**. Its only 10 possibilities if you want to be generous, 4 if you want to be realistic.
Literally anybody from the smallest petty criminal to the mightiest power broker can extort them to the great disadvantage of our nation and beleaguered people. The last thing we need is another 20,000 unemployed poor people with no Bahamian ties, some of whom will be hardened criminals. Make the Bahamas Great Again eh?
Posted 8 December 2024, 10:39 a.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Governor Ron DeSantis has made it known to President-elect Donald J. Trump that Florida State officials estimate there are now more than 80,000 undocumented illegal aliens residing in Florida who gained entry into the U.S. via The Bahamas.
And you can be rest assured DeSantis has told Trump that many of these illegal aliens in Florida are either already incarcerated at great expense to U.S. taxpayers or are engaged in serious criminal activities of one kind or another that pose great danger to U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents who live in or visit the State of Florida.
Therefore both DeSantis and Trump, as residents of Florida, have a common interest in all 80,000+ of these illegal aliens, including the ones already incarcerated, being rounded up and returned to the country they were last in before they illegally entered the U.S.
Posted 8 December 2024, 3:41 p.m. Suggest removal
OMG says...
Ah , the nonsense has started.
Posted 9 December 2024, 10:24 a.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
But it will be very different this time because of the overwhelming mandate Trump has received from American voters.
Posted 9 December 2024, 7:17 p.m. Suggest removal
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