United Nations Call On Regional Governments Is Reckless; Illegal Migrants Will Be Repatriated

#TurksandCaicos, June 6, 2022 – The Minister of Immigration and Border Services in the Misick-led Progressive National Party Government, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, is calling out the United Nations on their recent statement regarding the situation in Haiti and the unconscionable expectation of Caribbean Nations, as being “reckless” and “misguided.”

In a May 27, 2022 statement, a spokesperson for the refugee agency UNHCR urged regional Governments to do more to assist persons fleeing their homeland, Haiti. This came as the situation continues to worsen in the neighboring failed Republic, where there is escalating deterioration in security and rising gang violence.

The Minister, Hon. Musgrove, in response to the UN and in light of the recent illegal migrant activity in the TCI stated, “I am appalled at the United Nations. Their unrealistic call for regional Governments to do more is nothing short of reckless and misguided. Haiti has a population of 11.6 million people. How could any small developing state like the Turks and Caicos Islands assist that number of people or even the smallest fraction of them?

“We have a population of some 47 thousand persons, and our health care, education and other social systems remain fragile and could never withstand an influx of refugees. This would be a risk to our very own livelihood.

“I do sympathize with the Haitian people. There is a real crisis in Haiti, one which the UN peacekeeping mission itself retreated from in 2019, and it has gotten progressively worse since then, but here is not the place for them. We cannot accommodate them in the TCI.”

Over the last four days alone, and following the call of the UN, there were three successful at-sea interceptions by the Marine Branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, and one go-fast boat landing in the community of Five Cays. A total of 390 illegal migrants are currently being repatriated from the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Additionally, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Operations Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) continue to cooperate on matters of illegal migration and the policing of the waters around the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and the United States, and there have been successful diversions of other would-be dangerous crossing attempts before they could enter our waters.

The Minister continued, “I wish to recognize the work of our partner agencies, US Coast Guard, OPBAT, and the Marine Police, who continue to ensure that these large vessels do not make clandestine landfall, and that of my own team in the departments of Immigration and Customs, who continue to respond to the unceasing pressures of illegal migration.

“I further call on my own people, Turks and Caicos Islanders, and any person who has chosen to live among us, who dares to be involved in this ring of people smuggling. This is a crime and there are persons who know who are involved in it and refuse to inform the authorities. We are our own worst enemy. We are helping to destroy our own country and that cannot be ok. It will not be ok.

“We will continue to work at unraveling and interrupting this organization and we will take whatever measures necessary to bring an end to this horrendous situation.”

The Turks and Caicos Islands has faced unrelenting challenges with illegal migration over the years and in recent times has expensed in excess of $3 million dollars year on year on the repatriation and other costs associated with detention of illegal migrants.