By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Passport Office has reported a 50 percent increase in passports issued at Bahamian consulates during the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period last year — a spike that coincides with Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency and renewed immigration crackdowns.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, in a voicenote released yesterday, urged Bahamians being expelled from the United States to be patient, saying strict rules govern who qualifies for a Bahamian passport.

“Many Bahamians who have to leave the United States are complaining about the procedures to get a Bahamian passport,” he said. “But since 1973 our laws are very particular about who is a Bahamian and how you prove your Bahamian, our officers are strictly enforcing these passport rules.”

Mr Mitchell’s comments came despite recent assurances from Bahamian and US officials that Bahamians have not faced heightened immigration enforcement in the US. Ambassador to the United States Wendell Jones previously told The Tribune he had received no reports of Bahamians being detained. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Jerusa Lea Ali also said there has been no uptick in deportations or detentions involving Bahamians.

Chief Passport Officer Nicholas Symonette Jr, responding to Mr Mitchell’s remarks, said many applications are more complex now because some people — though born in The Bahamas — do not qualify for citizenship under existing law. Others are unaware of their Bahamian lineage but are still seeking documentation for themselves or relatives.

He said his office continues to meet its seven-to-ten business day processing timeframe and often delivers ahead of schedule.

“I think right now we’re meeting that expectation, if not beating it by about two days,” he said. “But we will maintain those days just in case. That gives us just the ability to pivot, in case there’s a power outage or anything, a glitch in the system, anything.”

He said delays are mainly caused by the time applicants need to gather proper documents and receive accurate guidance.

As of November 2024, 426 Bahamian citizens were under final orders of removal in the US, according to an ICE report. None had been detained.