TCI Border Security Efforts Intensify Amid Haitian Crisis

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Turks and Caicos, August 15, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is ramping up its border security measures in the face of continued pressure from illegal migration, much of it linked to the worsening crisis in Haiti.

At the August 7th meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), co-chaired by Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Premier Washington Misick, senior officials received detailed briefings on maritime security, immigration control, and community safety.

The Unified Command reported on plans to acquire a long-range, deep-water patrol vessel, a move aimed at enhancing the territory’s Maritime Domain Awareness and improving its ability to intercept vessels attempting to enter TCI illegally. This upgrade is considered critical as the islands face persistent attempts by Haitian migrants to reach its shores—some intercepted, many others slipping through undetected.

Push factors such as Haiti’s gang-fueled violence, political instability, and severe food insecurity—impacting over half of the population, or about 5.7 million people according to the United Nations—continue to drive dangerous sea voyages. TCI’s strong economy and demand for labour act as pull factors, making it a prime target for human smuggling networks.

The Informal Settlement Unit (ISU) also outlined proposals for redeveloping designated informal communities and the potential establishment of the ISU as a statutory agency. Authorities say such measures are essential to maintaining law and order while addressing the social pressures that illegal migration places on public services, housing, and infrastructure.

The Commanding Officer of the TCI Regiment briefed the NSC on expanding enlistment criteria for both reservists and permanent staff, a move intended to bolster manpower in the territory’s security forces.

With the stabilization mission in Haiti still underway, officials stressed that maintaining TCI’s borders is not just a matter of immigration control, but of protecting national security, safeguarding communities, and preserving vital resources.