Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, January 12th, 2023 -In the last 12 months, over 3595 illegal immigrants were caught trying to enter the Turks and Caicos Islands and it sent repatriation costs surging to nearly double the previous year; record setting according to Immigration officials. The continued decline of the humanitarian and democratic situation in Haiti is to blame for the increased numbers.
Based on immigration data shared by Althea Been, Permanent Secretary of Immigration and Border Services, in February 2023 each repatriation cost the government $2,200 per person.
That means the TCI spent $7.9 million for repatriations in 2023 alone, for context, $3.6 million was spent between the 2021 to 2022 financial year. Thankfully the number of illegals falls below government initial estimate of 4,494.
#immigration
