fp Turks and Caicos

Police and immigration officials have rounded up more than 130 illegal migrants in joint operations across Providenciales in the past two weeks, often sending them back to their home countries.

In the case of Haitians, they are sent back to Haiti if they cannot prove they were here before the Jan. 12 earthquake, said police Detective Sgt. Calvin Chase.

That is in keeping with the country’s stance that Haitians here before the quake can stay until it is acceptable for them to return to their homeland. Those who came afterward are sent back.

“This is a joint effort between the police, the immigration task force and SPICE. A lot of our work is done based on intelligence. We gather the intelligence, pool our resources and combat crime,” he said.

“Together we are able to do it on a larger scale, with more manpower we can cover more area, no place is left unturned. We pick people up on the streets as well as in the bush. It is treacherous work, but we are careful, and we do it.”

On Friday, March 19, officials picked up 76 illegal immigrants, including 60 male Haitians, 13 female Haitians, two male Jamaicans and one male Colombian.

On Saturday, March 27, the team caught 55 migrants, including 39 male Haitians, 15 female Haitians and one female Dominican.
“Those exercises are part of the plan we use to combat crime,” Chase said. “We execute these measures from time to time.”

The migrants are kept at the detention center on South Dock Road.

“They will be repatriated after processing, and where any of these persons are linked to any crimes, they will be prosecuted,” Chase said.

“We see any arrest as a success. Each arrest means one less irregular migrant out there on the streets.”