In Haiti, the US government repatriated more than 60 Haitians as violence escalated

Rome – Less than 24 hours after the United States urged its citizens to leave Haiti “as soon as possible” due to the increase in violence – reads an article by Al Jazeera The US authorities deported dozens of Haitian citizens to their country. This was confirmed by immigration advocate Guerlain Joseph, executive director of the lobbying group Haitian Bridge Coalition. Talk to a reporter about Al Jazeera She stated that she was in contact with some families of Haitians who were on board the return flight yesterday, Thursday, departing from Alexandria, Louisiana, and heading to Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, with more than 60 people on board. Even the American media, including The hill and the Miami HeraldReport deportation.

Return them to the place from which they fled. Joseph considered the resumption of deportations to Haiti to be “inhumane”, explaining that asylum seekers and migrants are returned to the same, if not worse, conditions from which they fled. He likened the crisis in Haiti to forest fires. “You have a house on fire, and there are people, including children, in that house on fire,” he said. “Instead of sending firefighters to rescue people, you throw them into the fire.”

Widespread violence in Haiti. Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, faces rampant gang violence. It has also suffered periodic natural disasters and a prolonged political stalemate, exacerbated by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. The US Embassy in Haiti on Wednesday called on US citizens to leave the country, citing the “current security situation and security threats.” Infrastructure challenges.

Statements of the US Department of State. This announcement went beyond previous warnings against traveling to Haiti. In July, Washington also ordered the departure of non-essential government personnel from Haiti. “Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure,” the US State Department’s travel advisory for Haiti reads. Last year, ICE (Immigration and customs) deported 1,532 Haitian citizens, up from 353 in fiscal year 2021.

There is widespread fear, and we don’t know what will happen. But Joseph said the recent deportation flight has left Haitians in the United States in a state of disbelief, especially after recent warnings from the State Department about the security situation in the country. “Everyone is scared because they don’t know what is going to happen. They can’t believe what is happening, that there could be deportation to Haiti right now.” Al Jazeera. Asked about broader U.S. immigration policy at a news conference on Thursday, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is trying to rebuild a “broken” system, and highlighted policies designed to stop arrivals across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Alerts from rights defenders. Human rights advocates have long warned against sending people back to Haiti. In April, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on countries of the Americas to “suspend the forced return of Haitians to their country, taking into account the current situation in Haiti.” In 2021, Daniel Foote stepped down as US special envoy to Haiti in response to mass deportations under the Biden administration. That same year, he told US lawmakers that sending people back to Haiti made the situation worse on the ground, and he’s still reading. Al Jazeera. “Haiti is very dangerous,” Foote said at the time. “Our diplomats cannot leave our compound in Port-au-Prince without an armed escort,” he added.