Haitians Shocked at Mass Deportation Order

[magbana]

"Haitians shocked at mass deportation order

By Suzan Clarke • The Journal News • February 21, 2009


Haitian-Americans here and across the nation are outraged over a federal judge's decision to deport more than 30,000 undocumented Haitians, and have vowed to fight the order.

Joseph Desmaret, a Haitian-American and elected official in Spring Valley, which is home to a large number of Haitians, said immigration violations are no reason to target Haitians.
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He said he had no problem with the deportation of violent criminals but noted that the majority of those under the order had not violated criminal law.

"I don't think it's fair for a country like Haiti, that is in the backyard of the United States, to (be treated) like this," he said, adding that Haiti was unable to accept the deportees because the country was devastated by several hurricanes last year.

Millions of undocumented immigrants from other countries who live in America were not targeted by deportation efforts, he said, adding that the United States' policy toward certain nations was inherently unfair.

"There are many other immigrants, like ... Cubans, they are welcomed to the United States. They have almost the same problems like the Haitians. They accept them, they help them out, and why not us?" he said.

This week, the federal government announced that 30,299 Haitians had been placed under final deportation orders by a federal judge. The news has been met with outrage, and protests have been staged in Miami.

The Haitian government is reportedly in talks with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in an attempt to find a solution.

Haiti's consul general in the New York area, Felix Augustin, yesterday said the Haitian government was hopeful that the talks would produce results. Even so, Haitians in Haiti as well as in the U.S. are worried.

"We had four hurricanes in the span of less than a month" last year, "and Haiti is recovering from all those disasters," Augustin said. "We don't have the safety net, the social safety net, to accept such a large number of people."

The United States deported 1,024 Haitians between January and Dec. 17 of last year, said Barbara Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As for the final orders of removal, they affect people whose cases may have been pending over time, and were not all ordered in one swoop, she said.

Of the 30,299, fewer than 600 were in ICE custody. The remaining prospective deportees were expected to comply with the deportation order and leave voluntarily.

Those who failed to comply would be considered fugitives. Gonzalez said the government had "fugitive alien teams" across the country whose sole purpose was to capture people who evaded deportation orders.

Gonzalez denied that Haitians were being treated more harshly than nationals of other countries.

"We enforce the law consistently across the board, regardless of a person's nationality," she said. "Our law enforcement officers have a duty and an obligation to enforce our nation's laws, and that's what they do every single day."

Haiti's government has said it cannot accept the returning citizens now, and has renewed a call for the U.S. to temporarily suspend deportations until the country is in better shape. Haitian authorities are reportedly declining to issue travel documents to the intended deportees.

The U.S. cannot return people to their country if they do not possess travel documents. In such cases, Gonzalez said, an immigrant in U.S. custody without travel documents would probably spend a longer time in detention.

Gonzalez could not immediately say how many of those Haitians under final deportation order were in New York state.

Desmaret, of Spring Valley, said Haitians across the diaspora were abuzz about the planned removals. He himself, along with Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Noramie Jasmin, who also is Haitian, have reached out Rep. Eliot Engel, D-Bronx, for help.

"We're determined to take steps to stop this. ... And if we have to march in Washington, we'll mobilize our resources, we'll go to Washington and march in Washington for justice for those people," Desmaret said.

Engel, speaking by telephone yesterday from Jamaica, agreed that the deportations to Haiti at this time were "ridiculous."

Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, is suffering even more because of the troubled world economy.

"If you deport somebody back to a country like Haiti, chances are overwhelming that that person will not be able to find employment, not be able to sustain himself or herself. ... I think that sometimes we need to have a little bit of a heart," he said.

Haiti's ambassador to the United States, Raymond Joseph, has been in talks with the Department of Homeland Security regarding the possibility of granting those Haitians special temporary protected status, according to Augustin.

TPS is a temporary immigration status granted by the United States to eligible nationals of certain countries who are unable to safely return to their home countries because of armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

Engel has sponsored legislation to extend TPS to Haitians. When he returns to the U.S., he said, he will meet with federal officials on the matter.

"I would just say that the temporary protected status has been granted to nationals of many countries ... because of earthquakes, hurricanes," he said. "I see no reason why Haitians should be treated any differently. I resent it."

El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Sudan and Sierra Leone are among the countries that have had TPS extended to their nationals.

Reach Suzan Clarke at [e-mail] or 845-578-2414."
http://lohud.com/article/20090221/NEWS03/902210390/-1/newsfront

[Judi Lynn]

1. Right-wingers keep repeating themselves, as if some day it might make sense,

about Cubans (the same ones who go back any time they get a chance to visit their friends and relatives) "fleeing" from Cuba across 90 miles of water, while not giving a flying #### to acknowledge the fact people from ALL OVER THE FLIPPING CARIBBEAN TRAVEL SO MUCH FARTHER THAN THAT, and in Haitians' cases, up to 900 MILES ACROSS DARK, DARK WATERS taking far, far longer, increasing their risks of dying profoundly.

Yet, CUBANS get paid for making the effort, getting instant security through instant access to legal protection, green card, social security, food stamps, US taxpayer-financed Section 8 HOUSING, medical treatment, financial assistance for education, and ALL THIS WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE U.S. TAXPAYERS who are required to sponsor this sideshow. While the U.S. government, throught the criminal manipulation of the Cuban politicians and their bribed political supporters in Congress, goes far afield to secure as much comfort as possible for Cuban immigrants, the same level of energy is engaged to chasing down, and removing Haitians, and people from other countries where citizens have darker color. This problem does NOT exist regarding people from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada as you know, nor is it likely the European descended wealthy from Latin America have a bit of trouble getting here for whatever reason, and intent.

You won't see THESE people run to the ground by U.S. "fugitive alien teams," will you? Probably not. Isn't that sad, actually creating entire TEAMS to chase down immigrants now?

Thanks, magbana, for the education. Now I have heard everything. I hope Haitians aren't hoping in vain that this may be the time the U.S. moves beyond its provincial, hateful, bigoted treatment of some people while using others as political pawns. It's an ugly, UGLY game to play, and the cost to human lives is unforgiveable.

[Bacchus39]

2. Argentina and Uruguay were removed from the visa waiver program several years back

"white" latin americans still need a visa to come to the US legally regardless of country.

deportations of mexicans and central americans is quite common. and they are in fact the origin of most of the illegals.

some European nations, Canada, NZ, Australia, are part of the visa waiver program enabling them to come without a visa. and there are quite a few illegals in the US from the eastern block nations and Russia here.

economics plays the key role in determining who can come without a visa.

Its not Haiti vs. Cuba. its Cuba vs. everyone else from developing nations.

[Mika]

4. "Its not Haiti vs. Cuba. its Cuba vs. everyone else from developing nations."

From how far up your kazoo did you have to reach to pull out that deranged concept?

[Bacchus39]

5. most everyone else is subject to deporation are they not??

if they are not in the country legally. why do some always make comparisons between Haiti and Cuba when those from Mexico, Central America, the DR, Asia, or wherever ar subject to deporation as well?

but maybe you and others can elaborate on your postion. I assume you either want everyone, including Cubans, deported, or everyone should be able to stay like the Cubans. The former I could support, the latter is untenable policy.

also, maybe you can share your knowledge with others and remind them that a good percentage of Cubans are black, mulatto, non-white shall we say and they get the same benefits as anyone else from Cuba.

[Mika]

6. Wrong.

also, maybe you can share your knowledge with others and remind them that a good percentage of Cubans are black, mulatto, non-white shall we say and they get the same benefits as anyone else from Cuba.

Not in Miami.

Maybe you have absolutely no idea how black or mulatto persons are referred to on a regular basis on Miamicuban exile radio. Shall we say that the "n" word is among the mildest of terms used. Zero backlash. Next time you're in Miami I suggest that you spin through the radio dial and hear for yourself. It won't take but a few minutes to encounter radical and putrid racism on Miami's airwaves.

On edit: Oh, and rabid antisemitism too.

[Bacchus39]

7. what is "wrong"? I said Cuba, not Miami. the US government policy applies to black cubans too

how they are treated in the community is another matter.

so which is it? everyone should be subject to deportation not here legally, including Cubans; or should everyone who arrives here be allowed to stay?

[magbana]

3. After the 1991 and 2004 coups against Aristide , , ,

the death squads had a field day. Haitians hopped on anything that floated to get away. The US Coast Guard ships scooped them up as they left the shoreline. In the few instances where they took the time to interview them to see why they were fleeing, none of the Coast Guard personnel spoke Haitian Creole. They were always returned to Haiti. INTO THE HANDS of the death squads at the port gates waiting with machetes and cinder blocks to tie around their waists so they could throw them into the ocean alive. Sons a bitches.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Bush sent those ships to completely surround Haiti to make certain not one desperate person

was able to escape the bloodbath.

He used the same monsters his father had used to lead the death squads, after the former had given them cover in the U.S. for years following the first murderous attack on Haitians connected to Aristide by the father.

What the _Bushes and the International Republican Institute have done to Haiti will be remembered long after they are gone, and the suffering will never be forgotten, I most surely hope. I can only pray there will be an accounting, an adjustment somewhere in time for these predators.