The United States is set to deport more than 30,000 Haitians to their impoverished homeland, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced this week. A protest in response to the decision has been planned for Saturday, Feb. 21 in Broward County, Florida. Haitian activists and immigrants are calling for a halt to the arrests and a suspension of the deportations.Deportation orders have been processed for 30,299 Haitians and they are starting to be implemented. Hundreds of Haitians have been put in camps awaiting the return home, while others have been put under a form of house arrest and are being monitored with electronic ankle bracelets, the AFP reported.
As the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, Haiti's troubles significantly increased with the passage of four deadly back-to-back storms last fall -- Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike -- that killed more than 800 persons and worsened the nation's food crisis. The storms devastated the small, impoverished island nation, washing away roads, bridges and crops. Thousands lost their homes. By some estimates, 80 percent of the country's population had been displaced by wide-ranging flood damage. A joint World Bank, United Nations and European Commission assessment released last November determined that total losses from the storms -- "the largest disaster for Haiti in more than 100 years" -- could equal 15 percent of Haiti's gross national product.
Haitian President René Préval has urged the United States to grant Haitians nationals in the United States temporary protection status as victims of natural disasters, insisting Haiti is still struggling to recover from last year's devastating hurricanes and cannot handle the return of its citizens. Haitian officials even said they will not issue the travel documents needed to process the deportees. But ICE argues that Haiti's resistance will force people to languish longer in crowded detention centers.
The U.S. government did halt deportations to Haiti for three months last year, starting in September. After resuming flights in December, the administration of then President George W. Bush denied Haiti's request for "temporary protected status." Temporary protected status, or TPS, is a special state granted to immigrants of certain nationalities who are unable to return to their countries because of armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The designation would have allowed Haitians living in the United States illegally to stay and work temporarily as their home country recovered from the devastating storm season.
Several Florida lawmakers criticized the Department of Homeland Security's decision to resume deportations last December. Haitian grassroots activists and immigration advocates have since renewed the call for TPS for Haitian nationals in the United States. Haitian advocates are upset that the new Obama White House seems to be maintaining the same policy of the past administrations -- one that advocates say represents a double-standard in dealing with Haitian immigrants.
Protected status has been granted and extended by the DHS to people from a handful of African and Central American countries because of natural disasters. For instance, Hondurans are still getting TPS from a natural disaster that occurred in 1999. In addition to Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Sudan have temporary protected status through 2010. Yet, Haiti has never been granted such a status. Over the years, the United States has become notorious for turning away Haitian "boat people" coming into South Florida seeking refuge and asylum from political upheaval and disaster.
The impact of U.S. and multinational policies continue to haunt the country. Over the years, due to harsh policies and pressure from the United States, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Haiti was forced to undergo strict structural adjustment policies that had a devastating impact on its local economy. Critics argue that international lending organizations helped worsen hunger in Haiti by pursuing free market policies that undermined domestic rice production and turned the country into a market for U.S. rice. This food crisis was further compounded by crippling sanctions, political destabilization, and environmental destruction.
Now Haitian advocates are wondering if the Obama era will bring in fair immigration reform or just more of the same.
The law is the law, although Haiti can not afford or absorb this giant immigration. But to be fair INS should inform how many of other nationalities are ready to be deported. And if the ratio Country / illegal immigration estimated / deported, is uniformed.
February 21, 2009 11:17 AM | Reply
i dont think the Obama administration will do anything for the Haitians neither. keep that in mind this issues is not a black or white issue its really an American and a Haitian issue remember no one likes the haitians and the haitian fail to recognize this issue. by been diplomatic to the americans will get the hatians no where its an eye for an eye world.today theres no time to play game anymore may they should take them to war with what they do best ...
February 21, 2009 4:47 PM | Reply
Last week, US president Barack Obama met and discussed with Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean the plight of her native Haiti. The president invited her to come to Washington, and exchanged "views about how they could be helpful to the government there in dealing with economic and social issues.”
The president made clear that this is something that he did care about and wanted to confer and get the views of others about how we could do a better job in supporting economic and social development in Haiti," said Gen. James Steinberg, deputy secretary of state.
One good idea is for President Obama to ask the Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean who was born in Haiti to give "temporary protected status." Temporary protected status, or TPS, is a special state granted to immigrants of certain nationalities who are unable to return to their countries because of armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Haiti fit clearly in these categories. Haitians could stay and work temporarily in Canada as their home country recovered from the devastating storm season.
Michel Nau
Washington, DC
February 23, 2009 4:07 PM | Reply
we suffer when we were inside our mother because our mother have no food for us get healthy & we still suffer ,american people went haiti many time ,see how we live,& we try to make it,can we have chance to live just like every one
February 24, 2009 9:21 AM | Reply
This is the email I sent to Obama's website and, below it, info on how everyone reading this should send your own:
As I listened to the president last night address Congress and the people, I was certainly impressed.
But this morning as I read about your plans to deport 30,299 Haitians back to the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, I thought, "So might Obama be another racist in a Black face?!
Any Cuban who wants to become a US citizen only has to arrive and get a red carpet rolled out for them; Haitians are sent back. There may be other reasons for the discrepancy - imperialist hatred for the Cuban people for their getting out from under their boots - but you'd have to convince me that racism isn't also a major reason.
Someone just doesn't want all those dark Black faces in our country, and the president doesn't want to intervene in the racist cleansing.
Grant them TPS now!
Carolfrances Likins
retired teacher
http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/02/will-obama-help-haitian-immigrants.html
To send him your response, go to:
change.gov
click on agenda and then on immigration
or
go to:
http://change.gov/page/s/immigration
February 25, 2009 12:09 PM | Reply
If you have a problem with haitian deal with it, but let's not envolve the American people of your non sense comment. Your heart is full of hatred.i have an idea of what your problem is. Remenber God makes people like you to shut up when you are so insensitive.
March 2, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply
I just waiting to see how president Obama react to that situation . If doesn't do anything about haitians people i won't get next vot again
March 2, 2009 8:47 PM | Reply
Just want to let everyone knows that the US is no longer granting h2a visa and h2b visa to the Haitians. Allowing 1000 haitians to come in the US as guest workers would contribute greatly to the economy back home. Again, the US favor Mexican in this program.
March 5, 2009 5:33 PM | Reply
I know Haiti I have a lot of people who are suffering from the economic crisis, health issue etc. But there is something that they need to remmember, the law is the law everybody has to respect. Im every unhappy when I heard, they have some haitian people living in this country working with illegal paper, and they never pay any taxes. Im working so hard, i'm paying my taxes i think everybody should the same way.
March 8, 2009 5:56 PM | Reply
I would like to know why is that out of all illegal immigrants, Haitians suffers the most, yet Haitian surely fit these categories for TPS. I dont want to think it's because of skin color, but that theory should be analize further.
March 13, 2009 12:40 PM | Reply
It's time for the haitian people to reclaim our independence. Before there was a Martin Luther King Junior, a Malcom X, a Barack Obama, there was a Toussain L'Ouverture. We were the first Black Republic to gain our independence. The treatment the Haitian people are receiving around the world is deeper. It dated back to the 1800's. The world knows, if we'are given the same opportunity as everyone else, we will be successfull. As a result, they will make us pay for the rise up of Black people around the world. I do not think Haitians should wait for any country around the world to help us. Liberty, equality, and economic empowerment are never given to any group of people. We have to take these things by any means necessary. We have to go back to our reach history and understand that the French did not free the Slaves. With the help of one educated Slave named "Toussaint Breda", they took their freedom. The same sentiment spread around the world and today Barack Obama can become the President of the United State of America. Haitian people let's rise up in a peaceful way an reclaim our independence. Let's be the kind of role model we were in the eighteen hundred. Toussaint L'Ouverture will be proud of us.
March 18, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply
I agree that the law is the law. however, there should not be a double standard. the fact that there is always a double standard when it comes to America's foreign policies, the American Goverment should not be involve in order country's way of establishing their own democratic system. France, Canada, and America should get out of Haiti. I do not think they are looking gor the best interest of the Haitian people. If they were, Haiti would have been much better. Haitians would not have to flee their country and we would not have to deal with this problem. As a tax payer, and an American Citizen, it is beyond my understanding how we wasted billions of dollars, thousands of Americans lost their precious life in Iraq a country that is thousand of miles away in the name of democracy. We cannot help this poor country located right in the western hemisphere deal with their political and socioeconomic conditions .
March 18, 2009 5:08 PM | Reply
I think this is a crucial situation specialy when many haitians supported Obama to the fullest, now looking at the situation personally I think this is a stab in the back. Before he was elected, he always talk about haiti like a country he cared for, also he made hatians feel secure about his future presidency. Now to see that the same man who promised to help would turn and do such thing, it is a disappiontment. It is hard to beleive that racism still exist even with those of our own race.
April 9, 2009 8:35 PM | Reply
If you dont have anything better to say i suggest you stay quit. You have to have the most crucial heart to talk in such way specially when you say it yourself that you have friends suffering in haiti. God himself know that people need money to survive, so if someone is living in the country and doesn't have paper to work what do you espect them to do? eat shit? put yourself in that position and think about it.
April 9, 2009 8:47 PM | Reply
Yes,The Haitians Has living already many years without all or things.
1) Many friends lets this families, what,s that going to do?. I don't say no, but, have you a programme to organize better your arrive in Haiti.
E-mail : pierregilles@ahved.org / comprojha24@hotmail.com
April 13, 2009 5:11 PM | Reply
We all should know by now Mr. Obama is only a poppet on the show, he has nothing to do with what's going on. He is someone they clown, for their own interest. So people don't be full by the empire of the city. For every American and everyone who think this is just an Haitian problem or just a foreigners issue you people better wake and smells the coffee because it is a one world problem. Most people are not paying attention they torn in to potato cow ch, worries about material things instead of their rights, do some research the information are there and available. go to ;prison planet.com or Google, empire of the city. or educate your self.org.
April 29, 2009 3:06 PM | Reply
it doesn't matter who you are president Barrack obama should give every single haitain people who is in America TPS.
May 22, 2009 5:17 PM | Reply
I WANT MRS. SECRETARY CLINTON OR PREVIOUS PRESIDENT CLINTON TO SAID WHAT THEY PLAN FOR POOR PEOPLES IN HAITI
THANK YOU
MV
October 7, 2009 6:53 PM | Reply
I hope the best for everyone in this terrible situation. Like stated earlier, the law is the law, illegal immigrants are illegal immigrants. I don't understand why more people don't try to obtain a green card visa . From what I can tell they are more easily accessible then many other types of Visas.
November 11, 2009 5:28 PM | Reply