A high-profile Haitian activist claimed that over the past five months there has been a mass exodus of illegal immigrants and criminal smuggling rings have shipped hundreds of migrants into the United States. “I have received information that there is a smuggling ring’ in Abaco “The Haitian
people don’t want to go back to Haiti. . .”
involving Haitians,” said Rev Carlton Dorsette, a long-time advocate of Abaco’s Haitian community and Pastor of Trumpet Assembly of God. “Hundreds of Haitians have been smuggled into the United States”
While Immigration officials in Abaco said they had no proof that confirmed whether the rumours were true, they admitted that they had received reports.
But according to Rev Dorsette, the departure of so many Haitian migrants was sparked by the recent appointment of Shane Gibson as Minister of Immigration and Labour. “As you are very well aware, Minister Gibson has adopted a zero tolerance policy for illegal immigrants and, as a result, these people have left the country,” Rev Dorsette explained.
“The Haitian people don’t want to go back to Haiti and they can’t stay in The Bahamas so there is only one other thing to do, leave,” he continued. “Since there are people who are willing to take them into the US for $3,000 to $5,000 per person they are going to take their chances.”
The Abaco Pastor also insisted that since February there has been a significant reduction of Haitian nationals in Abaco. “I can tell you because I am very involved and virtually well known in the Haitian community and there are virtually hundreds of Haitians that have left Abaco since Shane Gibson became Immigration Minister,” he said. “They’re smuggled out on various motor and even power boats,” he continued. “I can personally say without fear of contradiction that hundreds have left. I have even had a few who, once they arrive, call and say ‘Pastor I am in Miami’.
Rev Dorsette added that even Haitian immigrants with ļ¾ legal status in The Bahamas’ are desperately seeking a way out of the country. “Because of the word on the streets, a lot of people who have work permits feel that when the permit expires and they have to go back to Haiti and re-apply they will not be allowed back,” he said. “They see it as a trick and rather than do that these people just decide to go and these are people who have lived in The Bahamas legally for many years.
The Guardian spoke with the officer in charge of the Abaco Immigration department who maintained that his office will continue to remain vigilant with regard to illegal smuggling. “We had calls come in from people who said they understood that boats have gone out with people but added that they couldn’t say where they were going,” he said. “Now, more than likely they were going to the United States, but we don’t have any proof to substantiate that.”
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a Freeport resident, Devon Russell has been named as a suspect in an immigrant smuggling ring that operated out of The Bahamas and resulted in the deaths of three women. Russell faces eight counts of alien smuggling for profit and one count of bringing in aliens at a place other than a designated port of entry resulting in death. US prosecutors could not say if he had been arrested, but his alleged co-defendant, Zhivargo McBride was indicted this week on second-degree murder charges.
By JASMIN BONIMY Guardian Staff Reporter
