Sunday, Sept. 8 over 200 people seeking shelter in the wake of Hurricane Dorian boarded a ferry from Freeport, Bahamas, to Fort Lauderdale, FL. The Category 3 hurricane caused water and wind damage to structures around the island and killed at least 20 people.
Upon arrival at Fort Lauderdale, however, more than half of the ferry passengers were turned away for “improper documentation,” despite having evidence of a clean record and a valid passport. The sudden change in policy was due to increased caution by President Donald Trump.
The current U.S. policy allowing Bahamian refugees into the country says that anyone can enter as long as they provide a valid passport, formal identification and proof of a clean criminal history. A U.S. visa is often requested for family visits, work or school-related stays. However, officers at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have stated that in natural disasters, people seeking shelter from the Bahamas may enter without a full visa. Such has been the case for the past several years amid a series of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes.
In response to the issue, President Trump stated these stricter methods were an effort to prevent “very bad people” from entering the U.S. Concerns were specifically for people from other countries attempting to enter through the Bahamas. Senators and House representatives have taken time to respond to the president’s statement. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the president’s actions “a display of callous disregard” over Twitter Monday, Sept. 9.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio also flew to Twitter, asking the president to allow for easier passage of refugees into the country. Senator Rubio also noted how the policy of allowing refugees from the Bahamas in without visa paperwork had not changed over the years in public statements following the events of Sunday, Sept. 8.
Though people were turned away, efforts to relocate Bahamian refugees are underway. Nassau, a large port city in the Bahamas, has opened its U.S. embassy for emergency visa appointments. In addition, the CBP offices at key points of entry into the country will temporarily house Bahamians seeking shelter from the storm.
Expert Corner
Written by Mark Morgan, Acting Head of Customs and Border Patrol
Confusion lies at the root of the events of Sunday, Sept. 8 as President Trump and CBP made contradictory statements. The acting CBP head, Mark Morgan, in press statements and an interview with “the Washington Post,” attempted to provide a clearer picture of what was going on that week.
“If your life is in jeopardy and you’re in the Bahamas,” Morgan said, “you’re going to be allowed to come into the United States, whether you have travel documents or not.”
Meanwhile, President Trump made a much different statement almost immediately following Morgan’s.
“We have to be very careful,” Trump said, “everyone needs to have totally proper documentation.”
Trump’s concerns were specifically that people visiting the Bahamas or attempting to cross the border from other countries through the Bahamas would be among the landing party at Fort Lauderdale. With that concern in mind, Trump wanted an increased vetting process and water-proof documentation to deter “very bad people” from entering the country in the wake of natural disaster.
While the statements contradict each other, the viewpoints on each side do not. While greater protections are constantly being put in place at CBP stations in major port cities, East Coast areas such as Philadelphia and Florida have become large points of entry for people seeking asylum in the U.S. The president’s personal statements and law policy regarding refugees has been increasingly stringent.
President Trump’s campaign platform in 2016 toted strict policy against Syrian refugees, and the 2017 ban on Muslim immigration mirrors some of his sentiments from Sunday, Sept. 8. Recently, a similar attitude has been pointed towards Mexican immigrants seeking to cross the border. Construction on the wall and internment of families at facilities in border towns continues as of now.
By temporarily housing people at CBP facilities while they seek documentation from the embassy in Nassau, Morgan said he hopes to provide shelter while also being keen to the president’s wishes.
