Nine Cubans who landed in Cayman Brac on Saturday have chosen to stay in the Cayman Islands and will likely apply for asylum. The group, which includes eight men and one woman, was part of a larger expedition of 27 passengers, according to the Department of Immigration (“DoI”). The remaining 18 individuals requested to remain on their hand-built vessel and continue on their journey and the DoI have confirmed that they have since left the island.
This most recent group follows the arrival of 11 Cubans on the Brac in September. It is expected that this group will be sent to the Immigration Detention Centre (the “IDC”) in Grand Cayman following interviews by Immigration officers.
All Cuban asylum applicants had been released from the IDC in August following concerns about indefinite detention periods. At the time, the IDC was being eyed as an overflow facility for Cayman’s crowded prisons but the Human Rights Commission flagged concerns about habitability of the facility.
