The Prime Minister of Turks and Caicos, Dr. Rufus Ewing declared earlier this month "The arrival of illegal Haitian sloops and subsequent cost of illegal immigrants in the communities, cost of detention and repatriation is of grave concern to my government [...] in this regard, I have discussed with the Governor about seeking UK funding for intervention in this area of the Governor’s constitutional responsibility, including collaborative action with Haiti, the Bahamas and the United States, to avert arrival of illegal sloops."

Meanwhile, Rufus Ewing stated that his government would strengthen security measures at the detention center of the Turks and Caicos and "stepping up efforts to capture, detain and repatriate illegal immigrants, regardless of the mode of entry or method by which one’s status became illegal. [...] We will adapt a zero tolerance policy [...] for the illegal immigrants and the imposition of maximum penalties for employers who continue to employ persons without work permit or failed to notify immigration authority about the expiration of their employees work permits [...] and facilitate their repatriation."

Recall that in September, the Turks and Caicos had lifted the moratorium on deportations to Haiti, which had been suspended for humanitarian reasons after the 2010 earthquake, the Haitians already living in the country, as opposed those who arrived later.

The population of the TCI located 200 miles north of Haiti] is estimated at 44,819 inhabitants (2011), it is estimated that 15.000 Haitians live in these islands, of which nearly half are undocumented. With the lifting of the moratorium and the announcement of the strengthening of measures, our compatriots illegal on the British territory, are likely now to be repatriated at any time in Haiti.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7380-haiti-social-127-boat-people-intercepted-off-the-turks-caicos.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-3788-haiti-social-another-tragedy-of-the-sea.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6579-haiti-social-turks-and-caicos-islands-lifts-ban-of-repatriation-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-4605-haiti-social-117-migrants-haitiens-interceptes-au-large-de-french-cay.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6793-haiti-social-haitian-migrants-threatened-to-be-repatriated-across-the-continent.html

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre