Dozens of Bahamians kicked off ferry headed to Fort Lauderdale, adding to Dorian evacuation confusion

Sep. 9--Dozens of storm-weary Hurricane Dorian evacuees were kicked off a ferry bound for Fort Lauderdale Sunday night, increasing confusion over what documents Bahamians need to enter the United States.

"Please all passengers that don't have a U.S. visa please proceed to disembark," a crew member said through a loudspeaker captured on video.

Officials with Customs of Border Protection blamed the ferry service Balearia Caribbean.

"I think it was a business decision by Balearia to remove them," Customs and Border Protection Acting Port Director Stephen Silvestri told WSVN's Brian Entin, who was on the ship. "They were not ordered off the boat by any government entity."

A message left Monday morning with Balearia Caribbean was not returned.

The episode is heaping more confusion on the evacuation process for the storm-battered Bahamas, said state Rep. Shevrin Jones, a lawmaker who has family on the islands.

Nassau, the nation's capital, can't house all the evacuees from the hard-hit Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama, he said.

"We just turned around these individuals to nothing," he said. "They have nowhere to go."

Bahamians flying to the United States can travel without a visa if they have a passport and a police record showing a clean criminal record, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's website. It's unclear what the rules are for those traveling by boat. Jones said Bahamians have been able to board vessels without a visa if they have their police record and passport.

Port directors have the discretion to issue humanitarian or medical waivers to travelers on a case-by-case basis, said Stephen Sapp, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Pressure is mounting for the federal government to waive visa requirements for Bahamians evacuating their storm-ravaged islands amid reports that dozens of storm-weary evacuees were kicked off the ship bound for Fort Lauderdale.

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, along with 18 Florida members of Congress, are urging President Donald Trump to suspend the requirements.

Scott issued a statement Monday demanding clarification.

"We cannot the kind of confusion that happened last night in Freeport," he said.

Skyler Swisher can be reached at [email protected], 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher.

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