(CMR) The Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control (CBC) Service has confirmed that an operation was carried out in the early hours of 30 April at the Bodden Town Civic Center (BTCC) to locate two (2) migrants who escaped lawful detention from the CBC Detention Center.
The migrants were arrested at the Bodden Town Civic Center and are scheduled to appear in court for escaping lawful custody.
This operation was deemed to be the reason for the demonstration on Tuesday, 30 April, when approximately 20 migrants gathered in protest on the steps of the Government Administration Building.
The CBC said the situation was viewed as a security risk for persons entering and exiting the Government Administration Building and, as such the migrants were warned to vacate from the front of the building.
CBC explained that, in accordance with the International Convention on the Treatment of Refugees and the Cayman Islands' constitutional obligations, CBC provides irregular migrants with accommodations, meals/food vouchers, and personal toiletries. The Health Services Authority (HSA) also deems medical attention and medications necessary.
The other migrants that are housed at the Bodden Town Civic Center are on temporary admission pending the determination of their applications for political asylum. They are not currently detained, CBC continued.
CBC said that the majority of migrants who remain on the island arrived prior to the legislative reforms introduced in December 2022. Those asylum cases are progressing through the Refugee Protection Appeals Tribunal process, with a limited number of cases progressing to Judicial Review applications before the Grand Court, hence the delay in concluding the appeal cases.
CBC has further confirmed that the majority of migrants arriving in Cayman thus far have been assessed as economic migrants, which means that they do not qualify for political asylum in the Cayman Islands. In such cases, the legislative reforms introduced in 2022 allow the Director of CBC to certify such applications as wholly unfounded.
The repatriation process takes place within a couple of months of that determination. The repatriation process for Cuban migrants is conducted in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Cayman Islands and the Government of the Republic of Cuba.
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