NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC)—The Bahamas Department of Immigration says it has deported 107 Haitians to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country as part of ongoing enforcement efforts by the Bahamas aimed at ensuring compliance with its immigration laws.

In a statement, the Department said the group included 22 women and five minors and that many of the Haitians had overstayed their permitted landing time, while others were detained for illegal landing offences.

The Department said the migrants departed Lynden Pindling International Airport onboard a Bahamasair flight and that all standard health and safety protocols were followed during the deportation exercise to ensure the wellbeing of both officers and deportees.

The Department added that the migrants would be processed by Haitian immigration authorities upon arrival and that the five minor female children are expected to be handed over to child welfare services in Haiti.

The Department also announced that 15 foreign nationals, including three Jamaicans were deported earlier this week. The others were two Colombians, two Mexicans, two Peruvians, two Romanians, one Cuban, one Ecuadorian, one Haitian and a Moldovan.

It said the enforcement exercises form part of the commitment to upholding the laws of the Bahamas and that members of the public are encouraged to report suspected immigration violations.