Immigration reform is one of the nation’s most volatile issues. No situation dramatizes this reality more starkly than the recent events at the U.S. Mexico Border. Some of the more than 170,000 Haitian migrants encamped at Del-Rio, Texas on the US-Mexico border in late September found themselves in the middle of a human roundup. Border patrol agents mounted on horseback armed with ropes and whips literally chased down Haitian migrants. The optics of the event were reminiscent of nineteenth century slave catchers hunting fugitive slaves. Outrage emanated from almost every quarter of American society. Several human rights groups sent a letter to the Biden Government criticizing the Border Patrol’s discriminatory behavior. The letter criticized the cruelty exhibited toward, “Black, Brown and Indigenous immigrant communities.” Democrats condemned the Border Patrol. Vice President, Kamala Harris labeled the images as “horrible” adding, “human beings should never be treated that way.”
The mistreatment of thousands of Haitian migrants sparked protests around the country. Protests erupted in Las Vegas, Baltimore, Maryland and in other cities. One Haitian protestor in Las Vegas said, “We are the most vulnerable people at that border, and they need to let us in.” In Baltimore, protestors gathered in front of City Hall to express their frustrations with US treatment of Haitians. Reverend Annie Chambers of the People’s Power of Assembly Church characterized the suffering of the Haitian migrants in this way: “These people are suffering and all they’re trying to do is what everybody else came to this country to do.” Nana Gyamfi, the daughter of Ghanaian immigrants and Executive Director of Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), identifies “two levels of discrimination” — for being immigrants, and for being Black.”
In response to the events at the border, Daniel Foote, the US Special Envoy to Haiti submitted his resignation to the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. Foote said he could “not be associated with the United States’ inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees." Blinken said the situation in Haiti raises difficult foreign policy questions.
Due to the widespread anger and protests, the US government has temporarily suspended horseback patrols at the border in Del Rio.
Thousands of Haitian sought refuge in the US because of extreme conditions in Haiti. In August, migrants were stopped 208,000 times at the Southern border, more than 50,000 more times than the same month last year and 62,700 in August 2019.
Most of the migrants have been removed from Del Rio. Thousands have been returned to Mexico and Haiti. In Mexico, many migrants face unrelenting harassment from the police and are living in precarious situations. The Biden administration has expelled more than 4,600 Haitian migrants from the United States since September 19. Migrants were evacuated on 43 flights from Del Rio, Texas, to Haiti. Those returned to Haiti are similarly in a difficult situation. Some have either never been in the country or left several years ago. All the migrants are now facing dramatic challenges in Haiti including the recent earthquake and assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Lawlessness and gang violence are also rampant in the country. While the migrants are no longer on US soil, the problem persists with how to adequate address the needs of immigrants through comprehensive immigration reform.