Immigration officers to get more power

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, July 7, 2023 – Along with changes to residency and work permits, the Government also wants to increase the reach of Immigration Officers in the Turks and Caicos Islands with new amendments to the Immigration Ordinance; but before any changes are set in stone, residents are being invited to weigh in.

The Government has proposed that Immigration Officers will be now known as simply “Officers”, as Immigration and Customs merge into a single entity. With that upgraded title would come more power as well including:

• Increased power to search;
• Use of reasonable force;
• Interrogation of evidence and;
• Detention.

The proposed amendments follow calls from several members of parliament including Willin Belliard, Governors Appointed Member, and Opposition Leader Edwin Astwood to equip Immigration officers with weapons, even if they are non-lethal; and the revelation that the Immigration Department was quietly working on a bill to arm frontline workers.

Weapons Althea Been, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration and Border Services had explained at the time, that they hoped to get the draft in by the end of 2023, to allow them to carry things like Tasers, pepper sprays, batons, and body cameras.

Continuing with the proposed amendments to the Immigration Ordinance, TCIG also says they want  to introduce a new position, ‘Director General,’ to act as the Head of both Immigration and Customs Controls.

The Bill is available to the public via the government’s Facebook page and a survey will open up on July 15th allowing residents to comment on the changes before they are made permanent in the House of Assembly.