Penn wants task force for BVI’s large group of illegals

Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn has called for the creation of a dedicated task force to address what he described as a growing problem of illegal immigration in the Virgin Islands.

Speaking in the House of Assembly during the debate on the Immigration and Passport Amendment Bill 2025, Penn said the territory was facing a “real challenge” with the number of undocumented individuals currently residing in the islands.

“We have a large force of persons who are [here] illegally,” Penn stated. “It was a few months ago that someone who I thought would have been a resident or had a status… came to find out the person who was living here in the BVI with no type of status, and I don’t think that’s an isolated situation.”

Penn argued that the current immigration framework lacks the enforcement mechanisms to respond effectively. He said establishing a task force would allow for greater focus on identifying and dealing with unlawful persons in the territory.

Referencing earlier immigration practices, Penn noted, “I know before we used to have a situation where there was a task force within the immigration department that used to go periodically to make sure that persons are doing the things that they should do to make sure that their status is regularised, whether it’s through a work permit, exemption, or whatever the process is.”

He pointed to the need for renewed enforcement efforts, saying, “I think we need to get back to that place. It was not to the scale that I’m seeing right now where a person even with legitimate status is being targeted and harassed. But I think persons need to go through the legitimate process to reside within the territory.”