Almost 500 rights groups have formally reached out to the U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration with an appeal for greater protection of Haitian migrants caught up in the widespread violence and corruption plaguing Haiti. In a letter, initiated by the Haitian Bridge Alliance, these organizations have requested not just a moratorium on any further deportations to Haiti but also the extension and redesignation of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
The plea references the nation’s ‘extreme insecurity’ and the government’s inability to guarantee the safety of its citizens. It highlights that TPS can promote recovery, development, and regional stability indirectly through ensuring continued monetary remittances to Haiti – funds that sustain basic needs like food, healthcare, housing, education, etc., in turn curtailing migration. Haiti’s current TPS designation is due to expire in August.
The rights groups urge the U.S. to cease deportations to Haiti indefinitely and release all detained Haitians. They report that approximately 26,000 individuals have been forced back to Haiti since September 19, 2021. The groups argue these removals contradict the administration’s commitment to a just and inclusive immigration and asylum policy, further destabilizing Haiti.
Haiti has observed a rising tide of violence and corruption since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, leading to serious human rights concerns and global scrutiny. The letter underscores today’s lawless environment, with armed groups committing atrocities with impunity.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had similarly voiced concerns in the past few months, citing the dire humanitarian situation in Haiti. His statement depicted a grim image of criminal syndicates controlling most of the capital, the extensive food scarcity, and the escalating need for immediate humanitarian aid.
An estimated 362,000 Haitians are currently internally displaced, due to the sustained gang violence, forcing the government to prolong the state of emergency in Port-au-Prince. Owing to unchecked corruption and impunity, the violence alone has claimed 1,500 lives this year, puelling an urgent need for measures that protect the citizens.
As the rights groups argue, the current crisis results from interferences over 220 years by foreign powers, including the US. The appeal ultimately requests the US to address these root causes effectively and provide Haitian refugees with a safe platform to seek protection.