Former Immigration Minister: The Powers Already Exist, It’s About Enforcement

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Former Immigration Minister Brent Symonette says Bahamians should be asking serious questions about the Smuggling of Migrants Bill passed in Parliament on Monday. Among them, he says, are why existing immigration laws are not being enforced, why the Ministry of National Security is leading the effort instead of Immigration, and why the legislation is being brought forward now.

The Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2025 passed after the government agreed to remove Section 11, a controversial clause that would have granted immunity from prosecution to migrants who were smuggled into the country. The provision sparked intense public backlash in recent weeks, prompting protests from the Coalition of Independents and the Free National Movement.

Symonette, who also served as Deputy Prime Minister, says Bahamians should be troubled by the idea that someone could pay to enter the country illegally and then avoid prosecution while potentially being fast-tracked for legal status, a process others have spent years trying to achieve lawfully.

He argues that existing laws already grant the authority needed to prosecute and deport migrants, recalling past practices where magistrates were sent to Inagua to conduct immediate hearings before repatriation. Without prosecution, he warns, the state may be unable to deport individuals under the proposed framework.

Symonette also questioned why national security officials, rather than immigration authorities, appear to be steering the process. He says the public deserves clarity on which agency will detain, process, and determine the future of individuals caught entering the country illegally.