A stateless man who has been placed on Bermuda's stop list fired back at the Island's Immigration department in a recent defence of his reputation.

As The Royal Gazette reported on Thursday, Robert George Medeiros, was born in Bermuda to Portuguese parents but left the Island as a child.

His parents never applied for his Portuguese citizenship and, as Mr. Medeiros held a Bermuda passport, he believed he could live and work in Bermuda which he had been doing for the last four years.

However, Immigration said Mr. Medeiros does not hold Bermuda status nor is he eligible for it and that while his situation is unfortunate - the young man has been aware he has no rights in Bermuda and has been flouting the law.

Mr. Medeiros was prevented from re-entering Bermuda from Canada on August 1 and has been told that he will not be allowed back in the country until he acquired citizenship in another country.

Friday, Mr. Medeiros contacted The Royal Gazette, to clarify his version of the events surrounding his expulsion from the Island.

He said he has not been intentionally ignoring Bermuda's immigration laws.

"I would like to reply that I was already expecting that the Department of Immigration would give an incorrect and misleading version surrounding the events (which) occurred with my situation," he wrote in fax from the US where he is now staying with his sister, Anna.

Mr. Medeiros explained that he did not become aware of his questionable Immigration status in Bermuda until a few months after his arrival in 1997.

"My passport was issued by the British Embassy in Portugal with no uncertainties or problems regarding my status," he continued.

"According to my place of birth, Bermuda, and as being a holder of a passport that is deemed to be British - British Territory Citizen, Bermuda - I thought I automatically held Bermudian status. . . a logical, rational conclusion."

Mr. Medeiros said friends, rather than the Department of Immigration, made him aware after a few months in Bermuda, that he did not, in fact, have status.

"Really astonished and, incredibly, thinking it was absurd, I personally presented myself at the Immigration office to inquire about the verdict of my status," he continued.

"It was then, when (it was explained) that just because I was born in Bermuda, this fact did not convey or entitle me the right to Bermuda status and that I had to leave the Island.

"Like anyone else would feel, I felt this was a tremendous injustice and (let) myself stay in the place where I had been born.

"When an Immigration inspector explained my situation, at this point I had already achieved the social insurance number and therefore thought I was working legally. The Immigration inspector simply looked at me (with surprise).

"I did not sketchily (. . . pass) myself off as Bermudian; I simply passed on my passport.

"If the Department of Social Insurance did not verify my citizenship, obviously the fault and error was committed by them.

"This only raises (the) question about a certain incompetence of their services and also a lack of control and organisation within Immigration."

Mr. Medeiros also questioned why he was re-issued a passport in 1992 in the first place and said he feels he has been intentionally treated unjustly in an attempt to correct a series of mistakes by Immigration with regard to his status.

The Department of Immigration had not replied to Mr. Medeiros' most recent comments at the time of going to Press.