Immigration officers in T&T are now running scared for their lives, as they claim they are being targeted by Venezuelan nationals and/or relatives of the Venezuelan nationals whom they have refused entry into the country at the various ports of entry, including the Piarco International Airport.
In the most recent incident last Thursday, La Venezolana flight AW1302 arrived at Piarco from Caracas around 10.24 am with 14 Venezuelan nationals on board—12 adults and two minors. They were all refused entry by Immigration officers.
Speaking with the Guardian Media yesterday under strict anonymity, an immigration officer said all 14 Venezuelan nationals were refused entry based on the fact that they either did not have proper documentation, for example, a letter of invitation or letters of business, or the information they shared with Immigration officers was inconsistent with the information shared by their relatives as to their reason for travel to T&T.
The officer also claimed subsequent to their refusal to allow the Venezuelans entry into the country, one of his co-workers was allegedly threatened and followed by other Venezuelan nationals and had to seek refuge at a nearby police station.
“We work dangerous shifts, especially the 2 pm to 10 pm shift and where our cars are parked it’s a long walk and its very dangerous. It has reached a point where our uniforms are under attack…we are concerned for our safety and security,” the Immigration officer said.
“In an incident last year, a female Immigration officer was followed all the way to her home in Siparia after an incident in Cedros,” the officer added.
The Immigration officer reiterated that once proper documentation was provided, entry would be given.
“Sometimes we may deny entry because we feel that human trafficking is involved and denying entry may be saving the victim, but we are still threatened by some locals here too.”
The officer also said he felt as though more consultation should have been done by Minister of National Security Stuart Young on the proposed one-year amnesty for any Venezuelan nationals residing in T&T.
“The Venezuelan nationals are now saying that it is their right to enter T&T, so the statement may be a bit irresponsible on the National Security Minister’s part,” the official said.
The relatives of the group of Venezuelans who were refused entry have since challenged the matter in the High Court.
Immigration officers are now calling for protection by way of being given self-defence classes, bulletproof vests and in some cases being armed and given gun-training.
The officers also called for a proper holding bay for the people who are refused entry into the country.
“Currently, we have to keep them to the back of arrivals and when they become rowdy there’s a security risk for other travellers and us too.”
Attempts to contact Young yesterday were unsuccessful.
However, in response to Thursday’s incident, Young had told Guardian Media that he believes that the Immigration officers were exercising their rightful duty.
“I expect that the men and women in the Immigration Division at Piarco are exercising their decision-making duties in accordance with the immigration laws of Trinidad and Tobago.”