,

Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released a 500+ page report on their “investigation” into its agency’s own abuse of Haitian asylum seekers in Del Rio, Texas in September 2021. Shockingly, CBP did not interview a single Haitian who experienced or witnessed the abuse — yet CBP still falsely concluded there was no evidence that agents on horseback intentionally struck any person with their reins or prevented people from seeking safety.

CBP’s conclusions are at odds with public photo and video evidence and testimonies from directly impacted individuals, including those of Haitian migrants jointly represented by our partner, Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA).

This sham investigation was steeped in anti-Blackness and anti-Haitian animus. We emphatically stand in solidarity with Haitian and Black migrants and our partners who are working tirelessly to seek justice for the abuse in Del Rio and to end anti-asylum policies like the Title 42 expulsion order, which disparately impacts Black asylum seekers.

Our partner, Haitian Bridge Alliance, is on the ground helping Haitians seek asylum at our border — providing critical assistance to reunite families and ensure Haitian asylum seekers have access to food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.

HBA is working at the border to support migrants and advocate for fair and humane immigration policies — but they can’t do it alone. Will you contribute what you can to our partners at Haitian Bridge Alliance so they can continue to welcome immigrants at our border with dignity?

We simply cannot build a 21st century immigration system that centers humanity and dignity without taking on anti-Blackness and entrenched racism. I appreciate you standing with us and the critical work of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. When we work together, a better world is possible.

Sincerely,

Marielena Hincapié
Executive Director
National Immigration Law Center