General powers of immigration officers

(1) Every immigration officer shall have the authority and powers of a police to enforce any provision of this Act, the regulations or any order lawfully made under this Act or the regulations relating to the arrest, detention and deportation of any person. 15 (2) For the purposes of sub-section (1) of this section, every immigration officer may, in cases of emergency, employ such temporary assistants as he considers necessary to enable him to carry out his duties under this Act and the regulations, and such temporary assistants shall, during their employment, have the authority and powers referred to in sub-section (1) of this section, but no such employment shall continue for a period exceeding forty-eight hours unless approved by the Minister. (3) Every immigration officer has the authority to administer an oath and take evidence under oath or affirmation in any matter arising under this Act. (4) An immigration officer shall not disclose any information obtained by virtue of this Act directly or indirectly to any person except– (a) the Minister or a person authorised by him to be privy to the information; or (b) an official of the immigration service. (5) For the purposes of exercising his powers and carrying out his duties under this Act, an immigration officer may– (a) without a warrant enter upon and search any vehicle, vessel, aircraft or other means of conveyance in or arriving or departing from (b) question within the scope of his functions under this Act any person who desires to enter or leave Belize or whom he believes is in Belize otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of this Act.