The Biden administration has sent back around 50 Haitians to their country, marking the first deportation flight in months to Haiti, which is currently facing a surge in gang violence. The Homeland Security Department stated that they will continue to enforce U.S. laws and policies in the region, including returning noncitizens who do not establish a legal basis to stay in the United States. The flight departed from Alexandria, Louisiana, stopped in Miami, and arrived in Cap-Haitien.
One U.S. citizen, Marjorie Dorsaninvil, shared the story of her Haitian fiancé, Gerson Joseph, who called her in tears from the Miami airport before being deported to Cap-Haitien. Joseph had lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, has a U.S. citizen daughter, and had a deportation order stemming from 2005. His attorney was trying to have the order overturned as Joseph had not been deported previously. He was convicted of theft and burglary and had been detained since last year.
More than 33,000 people fled Haiti’s capital recently due to gang violence, with many heading to the country’s southern region, which is relatively peaceful compared to Port-au-Prince. The National Police in Haiti is struggling to combat the powerful gangs, leading to hospital closures due to a lack of medical supplies. Deportation flights to Haiti have been sporadic, with the U.S. operating one flight a month from December 2022 to January 2023. The number of Haitians crossing the U.S. border illegally has decreased in recent months.
Haitian Bridge Alliance, a migrant advocacy group, has called for a halt in deportation flights to Haiti, citing the dangers faced by vulnerable individuals returning to the country. The U.S. Coast Guard recently repatriated 65 Haitians who were intercepted at sea off the Bahamas coast. With Republicans focusing on immigration as an election issue, the Biden administration has emphasized enforcement measures following a rise in border arrests. The administration is considering executive action to address asylum issues at the border during times of high illegal crossings.
The situation in Haiti remains precarious, with ongoing gang violence and a lack of resources to address the security challenges. The Biden administration’s decision to deport Haitians back to their country has sparked controversy, with advocacy groups calling for a more humanitarian approach. While the U.S. continues to enforce immigration laws, concerns remain about the safety of individuals being sent back to countries experiencing instability and violence. The future of deportation flights to Haiti and other countries will likely continue to be a point of contention in the ongoing immigration debate.
