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The Bahamian government has declined a proposition from the team of President-elect Donald Trump, which sought its cooperation in accepting individuals deported from the United States.

The big picture

This comes amidst Trump’s commitment to reduce immigration in the United States, a campaign promise.

The U.S. has long faced challenges in managing its southern border, and Trump’s campaign capitalized on fears of an “invasion” by migrants, whom he accused of committing violent crimes against Americans and vowed extensive deportations..

Why it matters

The Trump administration had reportedly identified several nations as potential destinations for deportees whose countries of origin refuse their return. NBC News disclosed this list, which included the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Panama, and Grenada.

The Bahamas’ response is one of direct refusal.

What Prime Minister Philip Davis says

A statement from Prime Minister Philip Davis’s office confirmed that the proposal, which involved the Bahamas receiving deportation flights from other countries, was firmly rejected.

“The Bahamas simply does not have the resources to accommodate such a request. The Prime Minister priorities remain focused on addressing the concerns of The Bahamian people,” a statement from his Office read.

State of Play

The Trump team has not responded to inquiries regarding the Bahamian government’s refusal, which has shed light on a segment of Trump’s plans for sweeping immigration reforms.

The implications of such a deportation strategy are significant, potentially leaving individuals permanently settled in nations with which they have no prior connection.

The terms of their stay, including employment rights, remain uncertain, as does the nature of any leverage Trump may employ to secure agreement from these countries.

The world is watching the U.S presidential race. The Bahamas too, is keeping a close eye on the 2020 elections.

We care about who will win the election set for Tuesday because the next president impacts the Bahamas’ relationship with the world’s ‘superpower’ and it affects our economy.

President Donald Trump represents a different type of leader, who is unorthodox and is not considered a ‘politician.’

And we’ve been introduced to Joe Biden as President Barak Obama’s vice president, described as a moderate politician but fast becoming a leftist, based on some people’s opinion.

The USA’s economic influence on the Bahamas

The United States provides the Bahamas with 80% of its tourism market, greatly influencing the economy of this small island nation where the sector is our primary industry. The millions of tourists that visit the Bahamas from the United States each year, help with the circulation of the American dollar into our economy.  And, jobs in the Bahamas are created from our dependency on tourism.

But COVID-19 has shutdown our tourism market as countries like the US are lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. The fewer people travel from the U.S.A, the greater the negative impact on our economy.

Both presidential candidates have a different perspective on the economy and the handling of the virus in the United States.

President Trump’s loose approach invites the reopening of the country and the end to lockdowns against the advice of the CDC and health officials. He predicts that the economy will rebound and touts that a vaccine will soon be available.

On the other hand, Vice President Biden has cautioned against reopening the US. He says if elected as president, he will follow the advice of health officials advising against reopening. In fact, Biden said the US economy cannot recover until the virus is contained.

The decision made by the next President of the United States directly affects the Bahamas, one way or another.

On November 2nd, the Bahamas moved forward with reopening to tourists, hoping that more tourists will visit sooner and regrow the economy.