VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #0657/01 1081532
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181532Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2449
INFO RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 1246
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5385
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3512
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8324
RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO 0892
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 3355
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4517
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2633

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT 
STATE FOR PRM NIRIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SMIG BF
SUBJECT: HAITIAN ROUND-UP YIELDS MAINLY LEGAL RESIDENTS, 
IMMIGRATION MINISTER UNDETERRED 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission D. Brent Hardt for Reasons 1.4(b 
) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Bahamian immigration and police officials 
carried out a series of early-morning raids April 7, 
detaining 455 presumed illegal Haitians from three locations 
in the Family Islands.  Once the detainees were processed for 
possible repatriation, however, 244 were found to have valid 
residency documents and were released.  A local human rights 
group called for the resignation of Immigration Minister 
Shane Gibson, expressing its disgust at the "gestapo-like" 
raids.  The opposition Free National Movement blasted the 
raid as "ill-conceived and poorly executed," but also took 
pains to underscore its support for the apprehension and 
repatriation of undocumented aliens.  With elections one year 
away, the government is likely to continue cracking down on 
Haitians in an effort to respond aggressively to mounting 
concern among Bahamian voters about illegal immigration -- 
likely to be one of the key issues of the coming campaign. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
Multiple Raids Net Mostly Legal Residents 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) The Department of Immigration and the Royal Bahamas 
Police Force staged coordinated raids on Haitian communities 
in the early hours of April 7.  Simultaneously hitting three 
Family Islands, officials detained a total of 455 presumed 
illegal Haitians: 193 on North Eleuthera, 176 on Exuma, and 
86 on Ragged Island.  Detainees claimed that police broke 
into their residences in the middle of the night, roused 
persons from bed and refused to listen to pleas regarding 
lawful status.  All of the detainees were transported to the 
Carmichael Road Immigration Detention Center in Nassau for 
processing and possible repatriation. 
 
¶3.  (U) Immigration Minister Shane Gibson held a press 
conference at the dock as the incoming detainees arrived.  He 
attempted to send a stern message to other Haitians:  "I want 
to sound a warning to those illegal immigrants in the 
Bahamas: get out now."  Since becoming Minister of 
Immigration after a February 2006 Cabinet reshuffle, Gibson 
has pledged to toughen enforcement efforts and deport all 
illegals, regardless of their tenure in The Bahamas.  The 
April 7 raids were the first carried out since he became 
minister. 
 
¶4.  (U) Detention Center officials reviewed the documents of 
the new detainees over the next several days and eventually 
found 244 of them to have valid residency status.  Those 244 
individuals were released in Nassau and left to travel back 
to their homes on other islands at their own expense. 
 
Opposition Questions Government's Competence 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The opposition Free National Movement (FNM) released 
a statement condemning the operation, calling it "an 
embarrassment" which it hoped would not do "further damage to 
the reputation of The Bahamas abroad."  Referring to the 
recent transfer of two Cuban dentists to the U.S. after 
months of public controversy, the FNM charged that "the 
incompetent handling of sensitive matters by the PLP 
Government has already given the country enough bad 
publicity." The FNM decried Gibson's "grandstanding" at the 
dock and said that the fact that the government has a problem 
with "corrupt practices and forged immigration documents" was 
no reason to detain persons in possession of legal permits. 
The FNM underscored its full support for the apprehension and 
repatriation of all undocumented aliens, but stated that The 
Bahamas "must remain a humane nation where the rule of law 
prevails." 
 
¶6.  (U) The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association called for 
Minister Gibson's resignation over the "arbitrary and 
illegal" raids.  It accused him of "catering to the politics 
of an election campaign" and expressed its "profound disgust" 
over the "gestapo-like" enforcement efforts.  It said the 
idea that absolutely anyone in The Bahamas could be summarily 
rounded up and processed is "anathema to freedom and 
democracy." 
 
 
Unapologetic Government Pledges More Deportations 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶7.  (U) An unapologetic Minister Gibson responded by pledging 
further action against illegals and refusing to provide 
information about the raids.  "I don't want to go into 
details about what happened, (but the raid) was the first in 
a series of comprehensive exercises to be carried out over 
the next several months . . . This is one of the most 
critical issues facing The Bahamas at this time, and this is 
one of the first exercises."  Gibson did, however, promise to 
make efforts to see that fewer legal residents are rounded up 
in the future. 
 
¶8.  (C) COMMENT:  Whether true or not, much of the Bahamian 
public believes that Haitians are overrunning the country. 
In these circumstances, neither the Government nor the 
Opposition has much incentive to take a position that could 
be construed as too soft on illegal migration.  At the same 
time, opposition leader Hubert Ingraham and some cabinet 
ministers have privately acknowledged the importance of 
Haitian labor to the Bahamas' growth and prosperity.  How the 
government and opposition bridge the gap between acting tough 
and responding to economic realities will be a delicate 
balancing act as elections near.  END COMMENT. 
ROOD