Last week, amidst Haiti’s ongoing turmoil due to gang violence, the Biden administration faced stern criticism for deporting over 70 Haitians back to their homeland, a decision dubbed as “intentional violence” by human rights organizations like the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA).
Back in March, the HBA, along with nearly 500 other human rights organizations, had petitioned the Biden administration with a plea to extend the moratorium on deportations of Haitians from the US. The letter to the administration also emphasized the need to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — a status meant for migrants from countries in the throes of armed conflict or heavily impacted by natural disasters.
In light of the said request, the Biden administration held discussions with leaders of US-based Black civil rights groups on March 29, with the aim to address the ongoing situation in Haiti. Jon Finer, Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, mentioned the steps being taken by the United States to curtail Haiti’s instability, such as backing the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti whilst emphasizing Haitian-led solutions.
Despite the discussions and assurances, the HBA considered last week’s deportations as drastically harmful. The organization pointed out that it is the most vulnerable individuals who bear the brunt of such decisions and are sent back to a scenario rife with danger.
As per the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the UN, Haiti holds the unwanted distinction of being the least affluent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The country grapples with numerous issues, such as political instability, natural disasters, and pervasive poverty. IFAD’s findings echo the State Department’s level-four travel advisory cautioning against travel to Haiti due to risks of kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and inadequate health care infrastructure.
Notably, Haiti’s humanitarian crisis has compounded since last year with the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moïse. The number of Haitians leaving their country is hard to estimate accurately, but as per the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Coast Guard intercepted 224 and 605 individuals at sea in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Many of the fleeing Haitians even risk a treacherous sea voyage in their pursuit of a better life abroad.
The practice of deporting Haitians is not a recent development. Back in 2023, the US deported migrants of various nationalities, including many Cubans and Haitians. Homeland Security Task Force—Southeast (HSTF-SE) reported that they intercepted nearly 11,955 migrants, the majority of whom were from Cuba and Haiti. The HSTF-SE is tasked with the crucial responsibility of preventing unregulated and unlawful maritime migration into the US.
The original report can be accessed here.