Rubio, Scott ask Trump to waive visa requirements for Bahamians to seek refuge in US

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Salvation Army official says damage in Bahamas is unprecedented

Buildings have been swept away by the wind and submerged by flooding, says Major Clarence Ingram, divisional commander of the Bahamas division for the Salvation Army.

Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott on Wednesday asked President Trump to waive visa requirements for Bahamians affected by the shattering blow of Hurricane Dorian.

The Republican lawmakers sent Trump a letter outlining their reasoning, citing their state's proximity to and relationship with the Bahamas. They asked Trump to make it easier for citizens of the Bahamas to come to the United States to reside with relatives while they rebuild their lives.

"Incoming images and media reports indicate that thousands of home have been destroyed and the basic infrastructure of many communities simply no longer exist," the letter stated.

“Perhaps one of the most basic yet meaningful steps our government can take immediately is to ensure that those who have lost everything, including family members in some instances, are provided the opportunity for shelter and reunification with family in the United States," the senators wrote.

Dorian slammed the Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane, and its toll is only beginning to be measured as the storm moves on.

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"We are in the midst of one of the greatest national crises in our country's history," Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said during a news conference earlier this week.

The storm was downgraded to a Category 2 and is expected to skirt the southeast coastline of the U.S. later this week.