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Friend,
It’s been just a week since we saw those horrifying images of U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback using whips or lariats against Haitian migrants, including at least one child. Since then, ICE has responded by ramping up deportations of people seeking asylum from Haiti. Nearly 4,000 Haitians have been quickly expelled to Haiti --“a country ravaged by natural and man-made calamities.” - CBS News. These deportation flights completely evade our country’s immigration laws and every immigrant’s right to request asylum.
QUICK SIGNATURE: Help Haitian asylum seekers! Tell Sec. Mayorkas to stop the cruelty, and stop the deportation flights to Haiti!
Instead of taking appropriate humanitarian action to the crisis in Haiti and respecting our own immigration laws, DHS has only ramped up deportation flights. We can and should treat migrants with respect and dignity. It’s high time we lived up to our values and promises to create a fair immigration system.
See below for more information. Thank you!
Together we are a powerful voice for the wellbeing of immigrant children and parents.
- Claudia, Donna, Xochitl and the whole MomsRising / MamásConPoder team
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Dear Friend,
The images are shocking and the actions are horrifying -- U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback brandishing whips or lariats against Haitian migrants seeking safety. And even if those actions turn out to be isolated incidents not sanctioned by our government, our official immigration policy toward Haiti is just as callous. Just one month after a catastrophic 7.2 magnitude earthquake exacerbated the economic, political, and human rights crises in Haiti, ICE is deporting Haitian immigrants to Haiti, without even giving them the opportunity to apply for asylum, which is their legal right under U.S. and international law.
Sign on! Tell Secretary Mayorkas, ICE, and CBP (border patrol) to end the cruelty -- stop deportation flights to Haiti and stop punishing Haitians for seeking safety. *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.
What’s happening? In July, the Haitian president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in his home. [1] This left a country caught in political unrest even more unstable. Shortly after, in August, a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Caribbean nation killing more than 2,200 and injuring 12,000 more. [2] As if the political and earthquake disasters weren’t enough, Haiti was also hit by a destructive tropical storm.
It is no surprise then that so many Haitians have had to flee their country out of desperation and have made their way to our border to seek asylum. Families are trying to request asylum expecting a fair and orderly process from the Biden administration and instead they’re being met by U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback cracking whips or lariats [3] and put on planes to Haiti, a country mired in economic and political chaos.
Tell Secretary Mayorkas, ICE, and CBP to stop deportation flights to Haiti and stop punishing Haitians for seeking safety. *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.
It is not illegal for Haitian—or any—immigrants to arrive at our border and ask for asylum. That is their legal right and part of the history of how the U.S. became so diverse and economically powerful. However, the Trump administration, using COVID-19 as a pretext, put in place an immigrant scapegoating policy, called Title 42, that allows for quick deportations of migrants, [4] including children under the age of three, using the pandemic as an excuse. This is despite there being simple and reasonable measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 like testing and quarantine. Immigrants are not even being offered the chance to apply for asylum. Now, the Biden administration is continuing this cruel Trump era policy to deport Haitians and other asylum seekers before they have a chance for a fair legal process. [5]
When you click, you’ll automatically sign on to our letter that reads:
We are alarmed at the reports of cruelty by border patrol agents toward Haitians and that the administration is deporting Haitian immigrants just one month after a catastrophic 7.2 magnitude earthquake exacerbated the economic, political, and human rights crisis in Haiti. We urge you to immediately halt all deportation and expulsion flights to Haiti, and stop punishing Haitians for seeking protection. It is past time for the administration to restore a safe and fair asylum process for Haitians and all others seeking refuge in the United States.
The cruel Trump era immigrant scapegoating policy, Title 42, must end. Seeking asylum at our nation’s borders is a right that each child and parent deserves and is guaranteed by our laws and simple public health measures like testing, vaccination, and quarantine can prevent the spread of COVID-19.
We want every asylum-seeker and every immigrant to be treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment to forward our action link to your friends and family and share it on social media: https://action.momsrising.org/sign/haiti-deportation-2021
Together we are a powerful voice for the wellbeing of immigrant children and parents.
- Claudia, Donna, Xochitl and the whole MomsRising / MamásConPoder team
[1] BBC News: Haiti president’s assassination: What we know so far
[2] USA Today: Haiti earthquake death toll rises to 2,200, more than 300 people still missing
[3] Reuters: White House: apparent use of whips on Haitian migrants not acceptable
[4] American Immigration Council: A guide to Title 42 expulsions at the border
[5] NBC News: Biden admin to step up deportation of Haitians to address migrant surge, documents say
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