Our response to the inhumane treatment and recent deportations of Haitians at the border
The collective experiences of the recent earthquake and hurricane, the pandemic, the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, and ongoing socioeconomic and political turmoils have positioned Haiti in a most precarious situation.
Along with these extreme challenges, thousands of Haitian families have arrived at our southern border in Texas and are being sent back to Haiti. These families are without legal protection and have been denied the opportunity to file for asylum in the U.S. Furthermore, many, if not all of them, were displaced from Haiti following the earthquake in 2010 and may not have a ready place to return to.
The Vassar Haiti Project abhors the practice of deportations without due process, as well as the inhumane treatment that these families have been subjected to. In addition, we implore the U.S. Administration to halt deportation and expulsion flights to Haiti, and to instead promptly investigate other avenues of protection for Haitian immigrants such as the Deferred Enforced Departure (“DED”), expediting the release of Haitians detained in immigration facilities, and granting humanitarian parole to Haitians at the US-Mexico border.
Our colleagues in the diaspora have reached out to the Biden Administration and have been advised to “Do what you need to do so we can be forced to do what we should do.”
In that light, we have taken the opportunity to share with you the following ways to urge the Biden Administration toward humane action:
Actions that you can take immediately:
(they only take minutes to do)
Call the White House: 1-202-456-1111 between 11am-3pm ET
Write to the White House at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Call or write to your local representatives in Congress at https://www.house.gov/representatives
Post a message on social media using hashtags #StopDeportationFlights, #ImmigrationIsABlackIssue, and #WelcomeWithDignity.
Tag @POTUS, @VP, @SecMayorkas in your messages:
You may copy the messages below:
It is unconscionable for the US to resume deportation flights to Haiti, despite the country's ongoing political & environmental disasters. Stop deportations now. #StopDeportationFlights and #WelcomeWithDignity
The people of Haiti have been through enough. They should have the opportunity to apply for temporary asylum. #StopDeportationFlights and #WelcomeWith Dignity
“We at the Vassar Haiti Project have always stood in the power of the collective to advocate for those who do not have the chance to advocate for themselves. Please stand with us to demand the humane treatment of the Haitians at the US border.”