Recently, the inhumane treatment and mass deportation of Haitian migrants at the U.S. border was brought to the attention of many Americans. Pictures of Haitian immigrants being whipped by U.S. officials on horseback have circulated social media and have caused widespread outrage, especially among the Black community. Many are surprised by the mass number of people deported. Leading to many questions surrounding what is happening, and rightfully so.
Many have one question: “why are there so many Haitian migrants at the border?” According to The Washington Post, month by month, the current administration had been allowing Haitian immigrants to enter the country in increasing numbers. “From January to August, as the number of migrants crossing the border climbed, the percentage ejected under Title 42 fell from 82 percent to 45 percent. For Haitians, the drop was steeper: 55 percent to 8 percent.” In interviews, many migrants recount relatives or friends telling them that it was safe to come to the U.S, now, because it had been so easy for them and they were able to make asylum claims, which many have now learned the hard way is no longer the case. The change in administration and the current administration’s views on immigration made a lot of Haitian migrants feel safe to come now. So, for many, once they received word from their friends or family that went before them, they thought coming to the U.S. would ensure their freedom and safety. Instead, according to the Miami Herald, the U.S. deported nearly 4,000 Haitian families without allowing them to seek asylum in nine days.
Although sadly, the U.S. has a history of the horrible treatment of migrants, many wonder why they are being so aggressive. In an interview with The Washington Post, one person recounts how, while at the border, they were held in prison for five days and not allowed to shower or brush their teeth. There are many speculations about why officials are being so aggressive, but the most prevalent one is racism. This stems from the fact that non-black migrants have not been seen being whipped, making that treatment appear racially motivated, relating to slavery. The Council on Foreign Relations, on the other hand, views the inhumane treatment of Haitian migrants at the border to be more political than anything. They speculate that this may be happening aggressively because the current administration received low marks on how they handle immigration. Also, according to the Council of Foreign Relations, some people within the administration believe that aggressive enforcement is integral to gaining the support of Congress on broader immigration reform.
Many Haitian migrants being deported to Haiti have not been there in years; they came from places like Chile and Brazil. This means many people are being sent to a country they have not seen in years and at the worst time possible. According to The New York Times, Jean Negot Bonheur Delva, the head of Haiti’s national migration office, says Haiti is “not really able to receive these deportees.” Haiti has been through a lot, especially in the past year. In July, their president was assassinated and then, a month later, there was an earthquake in which the government was not equipped to handle the aftermath. Gang violence is very prevalent, and because the migrants being deported to Haiti are said to have large amounts of money with them, they are targets. People are being killed, kidnapped and robbed, making a lot of Hatian migrants worse off than before they tried to come to the U.S. Many do not agree with how the U.S. is handling this, including the former special envoy to Haiti, Daniel Foote, who resigned because he did not want to be associated with the U.S. and the way that they are handling Haitian migrants.
This issue is far from over because, while the current administration has been very aggressive, as of late, many Haitian migrants are desperate to escape from their poor living conditions.