Their parents will acknowledge that they are living illegally in the country - go through the process - whatever that entails, obtain the visa and wait for however long it takes. At the end of the process they and the kid(s) may or may not be repatriated. Meanwhile, the kid is in school.

If they decide to keep their kids out of school, to avoid being documented in this way, that is their option to exercise. But hopefully, they will be documented in some other way.

Actually, it's the journalist's obligation to reach out to all parties if unbiased reporting is their goal, as it should be. The writer reached out after the fact, and on top of that reported hearsay and one-sided accounts. If the department declined comment, that should have been printed. The government should file some form of complaint against Ms. Frances Robles, she was very irresponsible and amateurish in her reporting.

Where is the official statement, or any for that matter, that illegal immigrant kids will be denied an education? Nowhere. So your point is irrelevant and at the very least, premature.

You should first provide the link where it states that illegal immigrant kids will be denied an education if student visa fees are not paid.

Then let's talk.

Again...there has never been any mention not allowing these non nationals into the school system and deny them an education. They are also "enrolled and attending school" in the Bahamas. However, The Bahamas has the right to enforce student visas, and identify all foreigners in its borders.

UN regulation or not, I am speaking to the hypocrisy of the United States, the US based Amnesty International and in particular the ignorant US congresswoman. Immigrant kids in the US are required to show status...and like the Bahamas it does not necessarily ban them from attending school. That being said, the US (and many other countries) are also in breach of international law. Why did she not voice her objection on that?

In addition to clarifying my siblings and I legal status, when we went to school in the US as kids, we had to show that we were immunized, and we also had to undergo a physical. Did these rules change?

Also, there was never any mention of banning kids from schools. I guess the Tribune does not read its own articles. But who can blame them when they fill articles with quotes and concerns from the criminal, alarmist mind of Campbell?

Agreed. If the intention was to integrate and become Bahamian they would at the very least learn the language and exhibit a more reconciliatory attitude toward their new country. However, many come with a sense of entitlement and years later barely speak English because the intent is to build, and grow, a little Haiti in the Bahamas. If the Bahamas' economy plummets, they will not stick around to rebuild. They will move on to the next stop, even the so-called Haitian Bahamians.

Economist, I do not subscribe to politics or the views of politicians at all. My opinions are always based on my experiences, common sense, education and in this case, concern for the Bahamas. Your views seem to come from a place of extreme bias.

Wrongful convictions, and resulting payouts, is not unique to the Bahamas. It happens because all legal systems are flawed, and sometimes the innocent suffer. It's unfortunate, but it happens.

We cannot do as we please as a nation, I never said that. And the Bahamas clearly does not do that. However, we can detain unidentified persons living in this country as long as it takes to identify them...because it's also a matter of national security. If you would feel better about it, the US Department of Homeland security does the same. Remember 9/11?

The department of immigration is well within its right to conduct raids, and act on tips generated by the public regarding the location of illegal immigrants. Similarly, the police department is also within its right to act on tips of other criminal activity and conduct raids.

How else are they to locate the undocumented, unidentified illegal immigrants? By searching the department database which they failed to register upon their illegal docking, and illegal establishment of residency, in the Bahamas?

I am not a human rights expert either. However, the sovereign right of the Bahamas to protect its borders and its citizens should supersede the inconvenience caused to these individuals.

What policy is the immigration department enforcing that is not law?

Illegal immigrant kids not automatic citizens? Requiring immigrants, including kids, to have documents stating their status? Acting on tips on the whereabouts of illegal immigrants, and taking them into custody if unable to prove legal status? These laws existed but were not enforced.