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| Just over 300 Haitians repatriated |
Royston Jones Jr.
Guardian Staff Reporter royston@nasguard.com
Published: Aug 18, 2012
Just over 300 Haitian migrants have been repatriated to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, since Tuesday after being captured in Eleuthera, Exuma, Abaco and New Providence in recent weeks, Director of Immigration Jack Thompson revealed yesterday. “We also assisted with the deportation of a number of persons of other nationalities who for one reason or the other [needed to be] deported from The Bahamas,” Thompson told The Nassau Guardian. “For [the Department of] Immigration this has been a very good week in terms of how we have executed and carried out these exercises.” Thompson was unable to provide details on the number of people of other nationalities apprehended and repatriated as part of that exercise. However, he said the department continues to prosecute and deport many individuals on a week-by-week basis. “We will continue to do everything we can in the most appropriate, humane, methodical and responsible way, but we must do what we must,” Thompson said. “My officers have worked around the clock and we are grateful to the other agencies who work very closely with Immigration. This is what you call teamwork at its best and I am very, very pleased about it.” When asked to detail some of the circumstances surrounding the apprehensions, Thompson replied, “We had a number of cases where persons made their way to land and we are always grateful to the public, who from time to time contact us and let us know what is happening.” Pressed further on the matter, Thompson said a “pattern change” has been observed in people coming to The Bahamas illegally, but did not disclose many details. “I don’t want to speak too much on that because I think we are on to something,” he said.
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