A team of Immigration and Defence Force officers led by Chief Immigration Officer of the Enforcement Unit, Peter Joseph, conducted an overnight operation in Central Eleuthera, that resulted in the detention of several undocumented immigrants.

Mr. Joseph, confirmed on Thursday morning, November 15, 2012, that up to 40 persons had been detained in an early morning Immigration raid which  locals on the scene confirmed was conducted in the Palmetto Point settlement. There were no reports of incidents as a result of the raid.

The detainees, with their hands bound, were held near the Immigration offices in Governor’s Harbour during the course of the morning, while Immigration and Defence Force personnel conducted interviews and processed the undocumented immigrants.


Detainees, hands bound, on the Cupid’s Cay Dock in Governor’s Harbour minutes before going on the vessel

Mr. Joseph confirmed that persons who were able to provide legal documentation would be released, while those who could not, would be later transferred to the capital in New Providence.

Between 1pm and 2pm the officers with the undocumented immigrants boarded the top deck of the Sea Link (a Bahamas Fast Ferries vessel) headed to the capital for further processing.

It was a scene of tears on the dock for some who had come to witness those detained being led away. For several of the Eleutherans who were on the dock, the scene was also one of sadness.


Though the majority were men, there were some women and children in the group

One shared that one of the persons detained, known as “Larry” had been his friend all his life.  According to the young man, Larry was born here, had gone to school with him and has never been to Haiti. He spoke of another gentleman who he said, had been on Eleuthera since before he was born  (more than 20 years). We had no way of corroborating his accounts but needless to say, there was sincere concern for the ordeal ahead for the group of men, women and children. 

For the Department of Immigration it is a continuous battle to attempt to deal with the situation of illegal immigration across the archipelago.  Officials in Eleuthera throughout 2012 have had to respond to several boatloads of illegal immigrants coming ashore in the Southern, Central and Northern Districts.


A woman, held her infant child as she waited to board the vessel to Nassau.


Immigrants and officers aboard the Bahamas Ferries vessel headed to New Providence