Normally, Bahamians can travel visa-free to the U.S., with their passport and a printout of a clean police record.
Last night the government changed the rule without warning, leaving hundreds of Bahamians stranded, just as many had planned to stay with family in America after Hurricane Dorian destroyed their homes.
Early Sunday morning, on a ferry from Freeport to Florida, an announcement was made that any Bahamian without a visa must now get off. Of course Bahamians don’t normally need a visa so they would not have applied for one.
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
And even if they wanted a visa they couldn’t get one. The U.S. embassy in the Bahamas now says: “Responses to routine inquiries are currently suspended.”
It turns out a rule change was made just after Hurricane Dorian devastated the island.
This is what I’m learning from passengers: normally Bahamians can FLY to the USA with their passport and a clean police record. Bc of the hurricane, the rules were changed and they could also come to US under those conditions on ferries and ships. They’ve been doing that for days
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 9, 2019
“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 The policy was revoked without warning tonight,” tweeted historian Angus Johnston.
Now many can’t even leave the island because the harbor doors have been closed off too.
Just walked over to the locked door — so many still outside Freeport Harbour terminal. I don’t understand why they don’t send someone out with a blow horn to explain that the ferry is sold out and to give them other options. They just want to get off their storm ravaged island. pic.twitter.com/tblvHQA08V
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 8, 2019
It’s bad enough that the Bahamas has been so devastated that its people can’t even get basic supplies. Now Trump has just made it very hard for them to get off the island too.
UPDATE: Here is the full reported story from the journalist who broke it:
Here is the full story we put together after getting off the ferry this morning. Hurricane evacuees kicked off the boat. Crew on the boat blamed US Customs and Border Protection, CBP now blames the ferry company @Balearia . pic.twitter.com/QLRcxbALdk
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 9, 2019
