In a truly gut-wrenching scene, Bahamians attempting to flee the hurricane ravaged islands were kicked off of a ferry en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday evening.
The scene played out on social media as Brian Entin, investigative reporter for 7 News in Miami, shared video of the chaos as it unfolded, shortly after Bahamians attempting to leave the island of Grand Bahama boarded the ferry having just spent hours waiting in line.
Big problems on the ferry from Freeport to Florida — announcement just made that any Bahamian without a visa must now get off. This is not normal. Nornally Bahamians can travel to USA with passport and a printout of their police record. This is a mess. pic.twitter.com/DESUm2qBGE
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 8, 2019
Hundreds like Renard Oliver and his baby now have to get off the ferry from Freeport, Bahamas to Florida. He was trying to evacuate — told he could leave with Bahamian passport and police record like normal but then ferry crew says US Goverment called and changed plan last minute pic.twitter.com/vhBkSgBlKF
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 8, 2019
Historically, visas are not required for Bahamians traveling to the United States if they qualify for the Visa Waiver Program and apply at the airport in Freeport or Nassau. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), “Based on a bilateral agreement, in certain circumstances, many Bahamians and citizens of the British overseas territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands do not require a visa.”
The obvious problem is that these Bahamians are attempting to travel after a massive natural disaster that destroyed the Freeport Airport and has made traveling from island to island extremely difficult and, according to Angus Johnston, City University of New York professor, the program had been expanded to ferries in light of Dorian.
The US has facilities at Nassau and Freeport airports to process Bahamians without visas, and has for years. Since the hurricane, that program has been expanded to cover ferries as well. The policy was revoked without warning tonight. https://t.co/0irPo65bPZ
— Angus Johnston (@studentactivism) September 9, 2019
Announcements like the one below echoed through the ferry causing confusion.
Another announcement just made ordering any Bahamian without a US visa to disembark ferry — not allowed to evacuate. They were told before boarding it was ok with Bahamian passport and clean polce record. Something has now changed. pic.twitter.com/m7CnZxoiMM
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 9, 2019
According to Hannah Morse, a reporter with the Palm Beach Post, the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line “spent nearly a full day” working with CPB to pre-clear evacuees.
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line “spent nearly a full day clearing potential evacuees, including getting their visa and passport documentation,” a press release said. @pbpost
— Hannah Morse (@mannahhorse) September 7, 2019
The cruise ship Grand Celebration successfully evacuated upwards of 1500 Bahamians on Friday without requiring visas.
What is interesting is cruise ship Grand Celebration evacuted more than 1000 Bahamians Friday and they did not require visas — was ok to just have passport and police record. What changed since then?
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 9, 2019
Those evacuating from the Bahamas who are U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and those with proper documentation to enter the U.S. are being processed at U.S. Ports of Entry. No visa document requirements have changed.
— Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan (@CBPMarkMorgan) September 8, 2019
According to a tweet posted on Wednesday by Florida Senator Marco Rubio, he, along with Senator Rick Scott, planned to send President Donald Trump a letter asking the administration to waive visa requirements for Bahamians with close relatives in the U.S. displaced by Dorian.
#Florida has deep ties to The #Bahamas. Many Floridians have family living there.
Today I will be asking the Trump Administration to consider suspending certain visa requirements for citizens of The Bahamas displaced by #HurricaneDorian & with close relatives in the U.S.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 4, 2019
The letter reads:
“As Americans, and others throughout our hemisphere and across the globe, work to provide aid and assistance for the many needs of the Bahamian people at this time, perhaps one of the most basic yet meaningful steps our government can take immediately is to ensure that those who have lost everything, including family members in some instances, are provided the opportunity for shelter and reunification with family in the United States.
Florida enjoys historically deep ties with the Bahamas and, by proximity, many Floridians have family in the Bahamas. While parts of the Bahamas endured sustained winds of 180 miles for almost two days, Florida watched and prepared for Dorian’s landfall. Although Florida’s east coast continues to experience high winds and storm surges, our state is fortunate to avoid a direct hit. Floridians are now eager to help their family and friends in the Bahamas.”
Only hours before the confusing situation unfolded onboard the ferry, Entin shared footage from the Freeport Harbour terminal where those who had managed to secure ferry tickets were locked inside the building.
A slightly calmer scene inside the terminal now at the Freeport Harbour. They are relaying the message outside that the ferry to Fort Lauderdale is sold out. Really feel for these Bahamians – going through the storm, aftermath with no power, and now turned away. pic.twitter.com/nYwWomFbIS
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 8, 2019
Outside the terminal, crowds gathered to find a padlocked door and no information. According to Entin, the process lacked organization with no one going “outside giving anyone information. No police or port workers. People have to push to the door to yell to the man guarding it and shout their questions.”
Security has now locked us in at the Freeport Harbour. I just got in to see what was going on and now I can’t get out. Everyone pushing to get on the ferry to Fort Lauderdale. pic.twitter.com/tCPEHQWamB
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 8, 2019
Entin shared one more video as the ferry disembarked Freeport, leaving weary Bahamians—who were likely heaving a collective sigh of relief only moments before—back at square one with little hope and information from local officials.
That’s it. We’re leaving — all Bahamian evacuees without a visa taken off. The Bahamians who remain are in shock. No one understands why the rule was changed at the last minute. The parents and kids now stuck on the island. pic.twitter.com/Jvd3D6MTZW
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 9, 2019
As Entin’s videos spread across social media Sunday night, Twitter users expressed their shock and outrage.
This is sick. Where are the members of Congress demanding a reversal of this inhumane action? @SenateGOP @SenateDems @HouseDemocrats @HouseGOP https://t.co/o0aLIizkXq
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) September 9, 2019
Meanwhile, despite the plethora of evidence that Bahamians are in a state of emergency and are now unable to easily enter the United States, U.S. officials are concerned about “the national security implications if China steps in” to fill the “vast needs” of a country only 50 miles off the coast of Florida.
Let’s hope it isn’t as bad as it looks and the U.S. is not, in fact, more concerned “about the potential for such a powerful economic and political adversary to gain a greater foothold in such proximity” than it is about the plight of the Bahamians that barely lived through one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history.
https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1170879141182414848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1170879141182414848&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemindunleashed.com%2F2019%2F09%2Fbahamas-evacuees-forced-off-ferry-florida.html
The future is uncertain for 70,000 people in the Bahamas left homeless by Hurricane Dorian.
