The immigration watchdog group Supporting Fair Immigration Reform said they have “strong concerns about the Government’s recently tabled Bermuda Immigration and Protection Amendment [No. 2] Bill, and said they “implore and urge the Government to withdraw this unfortunate Bill and to allow its Comprehensive Immigration Reform process to unfold.”
A spokesperson said, “The individuals behind the Supporting Fair Immigration Reform Facebook group and our members have strong concerns about the Government’s recently tabled Bermuda Immigration and Protection Amendment [No. 2] Act 2017. We support the Human Rights Commission’s call for the Bill to be withdrawn”.
The Bill would erode the supremacy of the Human Rights Act 1981 (the “HRA”) when it comes to immigration legislation. The HRA protects all residents in Bermuda in the fields of employment, accommodation and services from discrimination based on:
- race, place of origin, colour, or ethnic or national origins;
- sex or sexual orientation;
- marital status;
- disability;
- family status;
- religion or beliefs or political opinions; or
- criminal record, except where there are valid reasons relevant to the nature of the particular offence for which he is convicted that would justify the difference in treatment.
The group is concerned that the legislation may contravene Bermuda’s international legal obligations and will have negative consequences for many of its members and supporters as it would bestow disproportionate rights on some individuals and create inequalities based on gender, sexual orientation or marital status.
The group noted that the Bill had been tabled in the House of Assembly with very little consultation and has asked that the legislation be withdrawn until after the government’s immigration reform study has been concluded.
