What Is Happening to Haitian Migrants in the US?
Thousands of migrants, the majority of whom are Haitians, have converged in Del Rio, Texas, in recent weeks to live in dismal conditions in the hopes of being processed by the US immigration system. The officials began increasing deportation flights to dissuade more Haitians from crossing the border. The camp was evacuated in a matter of days.
Some migrants were persuaded to return to Mexico, while others were brought into federal custody and released in the United States. Others were deported to Haiti without the opportunity to make an asylum case, forcing them to return to a country that was far more dangerous than the one they had escaped.
It is estimated that under federal and international law, nearly 4,600 Haitians deported from the United States in recent weeks should have been allowed to stay and seek asylum. While Biden describes the situation on the southern border as “terrible,” the US immigration policies still seem to be against Haitian immigrants.
Initiatives to Keep Haitians Out Of the United States
In recent years, the US government has used various strategies to dissuade migrants from crossing the southern border. Many of these have a disproportionately negative impact on Haitians. The Biden administration relies on Title 42, a public health rule, to quickly deport migrants caught at the US-Mexico border, especially Haitians.
Immigrant advocates have slammed Title 42, which was enacted during the Trump administration and largely prohibited migrants from seeking asylum in the United States. Given the current flood of individuals at the border, the Biden administration has maintained that the rule is being used to safeguard the health of migrants, border agents, and local populations.
Before Title 42, those seeking asylum at the border had been put on a waiting list since 2016 and advised to stay in Mexico until their turn came to begin the asylum procedure. According to the advocacy group American Immigration Council, metering largely targeted Haitian asylum seekers, and migrants were frequently forced to wait years before their cases were evaluated.
For more information in this regard, dial (818)900-5707 to get in touch with an immigration attorney.
Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/poor-children-walking-on-stones-near-tent-6691667/
