How Haitian Migrants got to the Texas

Kanky

Well-Known Member

Did y’all see these folks getting whipped by border patrol agents who were chasing them on horseback. :look:


How thousands of Haitian migrants ended up at the Texas border​

Gang violence, bloody protests, food and fuel shortages plus natural disasters have spurred many to leave the west’s poorest nation​

Thousands of migrants, mostly from Haiti, gather at a makeshift encampment under the International Bridge between Del Rio, Texas and Acuña, Mexico.
Show caption

Every night Guy would fall asleep to the sound of gunfire: warring gangs in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, were fighting pitched battles in the city centre.
By day, the country was roiled by bloody protests against food and fuel shortages. Roadblocks with burning tyres were commonplace, and the police responded with tear gas and billy clubs.
“Going outside was scary,” said Guy. “There was no choice but to get out of Haiti.” He started making plans to reach the US – and he was far from alone.
Guns, gangs and foreign meddling: how life in Haiti went from bad to worse
Authorities in the Texastown of Del Rio, Texas, declared a local state of emergency on Friday after some 12,000 migrants – most from Haiti – gathered under and around a bridge on the border with Mexico.
The influx has overwhelmed local officials, presented Joe Biden with a new challenge – and cast a spotlight on the growing migration crisis triggered by the multiple and overlapping calamities which have beset Haiti.
For many migrants, crossing the Rio Grande is just the last small step in a circuitous odyssey that stretches across the Caribbean and deep into South America.
Most fly from Haiti to Ecuador, which does not require a visa for Haitian visitors, before either trying to find work in Brazil or Chile, or heading north, crossing the perilous jungles of the Darién Gap and onwards to Central America and Mexico.
At every stage, they are at the mercy of a security forces and organized crime groups which target travelers, and the rickety infrastructure of the people-smuggling business.
Guy was one of thousands of migrants, again mostly Haitians, who recently became stranded in Necoclí, a Colombian beach town where local ferries to Panama are unable to meet demand.
Like many others, he had been living in Brazil, where he worked at informal construction jobs. But, with jobs drying up and a perceived welcoming attitude from the Biden administration, he set out northwards.
“We follow those that went before us,” Guy said, on a recent afternoon. “It doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous.”
 

Keen

Well-Known Member
I'm sure my judgement on the matter is bias. My father made it here looking for a better life. Going through the Texas border had been a good plan until so many showed up at once.

One of my FB friend posted this and I totally agree with her: "No one would choose water over land, if they didn't feel water was safer".
 

Keen

Well-Known Member
Can someone remind me of what the Biden admin said that would be perceived as welcoming them?
It’s the perceived attitude towards immigration. All the things the Democrats used to scold the Trump administration on. It’s not only Haitians who feel like they have better chances with Biden’s administration. People from Central America have the same perception. That’s why there was an influx of unoccupied minors after Biden got elected.

Trump was not going to grant an extension on TPS (temporary protective status ) for Haitians. After Biden got elected, he granted extension for Haitians living in the US as of May.
Then the Haitian president got assassinated July 7th, Biden changed the extension to include anyone in the country as of a date end of July.
 

yamilee21

Well-Known Member
The colossal waste of money really makes me so upset… it is so shortsighted. 12,000 people spending, on average, $10,000 each to arrive at the border. That is 120 million dollars! Collectively, that is an astronomical sum for Haiti. The micro-lender NGOs in Haiti give their clients loans of $100 (or less!) to start small businesses. Now the migrants are deported back with less than they had when they left the Haiti 5, 10 or 15 years ago to go to Brasil, Chile, etc. I wish there were an investigation into the WhatsApp and social media messages that were circulating to encourage people to make this insane trip - those at the origin of those messages are the cruelest criminals. Brazil and especially Chile also are fault; both were handing out visas like candy a few years back, knowing full well they had no intention of allowing Haitians immigrants to permanently settle in their countries.

Haitians have to stop fleeing to other countries, particularly the United States and the Dominican Republic, as the solution to the country’s problems. That first generation that fled Duvalier in the 1960s and early 1970s set such a terrible precedent; later generations have focused only on the relative material stability/comfort attained elsewhere, and the reliability of remittances, while ignoring the long years of unresolved immigration status, economic hardship and deep regrets among many. But the United States has been sending a consistent message since the Reagan era - Haitians are not welcome, period. Not in the early 1980s, when Haitian bodies were washing up on the Florida coast, after overloading tiny fishing boats… not in the early-mid 1990s, when Haitians were locked up at Guantanamo… and certainly not after traversing South and Central American in 2021. Haitians en masse have always been deported back over the past four decades. In recent years (pre-Covid), even some middle/upper-middle class Haitians with no desire to settle in the U.S. have not been able to obtain or renew tourist visas to visit family. What on earth possessed this group to think the outcome would be any different this time?
 

Ivonnovi

Well-Known Member
In a Year when Billionairs are spending millions for a -30min flight to Space; were we've broght immigrants fron contries we've been at War with for 20 yrs. WE (the US) can't prove that BLM and treat these folks with dignity? I know (to well) that they'll use the old Language Barrier as a part of the influence for what the horse back and Whip action; and TBH I am quite appalled. BUT I do APPLAUDE the former Border Agent in the clip that laments that she felt like a f'n Nazi!

I am really appalled.....that's all I can express with out getting banned!
 
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naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
The colossal waste of money really makes me so upset… it is so shortsighted. 12,000 people spending, on average, $10,000 each to arrive at the border. That is 120 million dollars! Collectively, that is an astronomical sum for Haiti. The micro-lender NGOs in Haiti give their clients loans of $100 (or less!) to start small businesses. Now the migrants are deported back with less than they had when they left the Haiti 5, 10 or 15 years ago to go to Brasil, Chile, etc. I wish there were an investigation into the WhatsApp and social media messages that were circulating to encourage people to make this insane trip - those at the origin of those messages are the cruelest criminals. Brazil and especially Chile also are fault; both were handing out visas like candy a few years back, knowing full well they had no intention of allowing Haitians immigrants to permanently settle in their countries.

Haitians have to stop fleeing to other countries, particularly the United States and the Dominican Republic, as the solution to the country’s problems. That first generation that fled Duvalier in the 1960s and early 1970s set such a terrible precedent; later generations have focused only on the relative material stability/comfort attained elsewhere, and the reliability of remittances, while ignoring the long years of unresolved immigration status, economic hardship and deep regrets among many. But the United States has been sending a consistent message since the Reagan era - Haitians are not welcome, period. Not in the early 1980s, when Haitian bodies were washing up on the Florida coast, after overloading tiny fishing boats… not in the early-mid 1990s, when Haitians were locked up at Guantanamo… and certainly not after traversing South and Central American in 2021. Haitians en masse have always been deported back over the past four decades. In recent years (pre-Covid), even some middle/upper-middle class Haitians with no desire to settle in the U.S. have not been able to obtain or renew tourist visas to visit family. What on earth possessed this group to think the outcome would be any different this time?
This suggests accountability on both sides. I just assumed the situation was so bad these folk were absolutely desperate. I also assumed a lot of people with the ability to migrate ANYWHERE had some money they had access to.
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
The colossal waste of money really makes me so upset… it is so shortsighted. 12,000 people spending, on average, $10,000 each to arrive at the border. That is 120 million dollars! Collectively, that is an astronomical sum for Haiti. The micro-lender NGOs in Haiti give their clients loans of $100 (or less!) to start small businesses. Now the migrants are deported back with less than they had when they left the Haiti 5, 10 or 15 years ago to go to Brasil, Chile, etc. I wish there were an investigation into the WhatsApp and social media messages that were circulating to encourage people to make this insane trip - those at the origin of those messages are the cruelest criminals. Brazil and especially Chile also are fault; both were handing out visas like candy a few years back, knowing full well they had no intention of allowing Haitians immigrants to permanently settle in their countries.

Haitians have to stop fleeing to other countries, particularly the United States and the Dominican Republic, as the solution to the country’s problems. That first generation that fled Duvalier in the 1960s and early 1970s set such a terrible precedent; later generations have focused only on the relative material stability/comfort attained elsewhere, and the reliability of remittances, while ignoring the long years of unresolved immigration status, economic hardship and deep regrets among many. But the United States has been sending a consistent message since the Reagan era - Haitians are not welcome, period. Not in the early 1980s, when Haitian bodies were washing up on the Florida coast, after overloading tiny fishing boats… not in the early-mid 1990s, when Haitians were locked up at Guantanamo… and certainly not after traversing South and Central American in 2021. Haitians en masse have always been deported back over the past four decades. In recent years (pre-Covid), even some middle/upper-middle class Haitians with no desire to settle in the U.S. have not been able to obtain or renew tourist visas to visit family. What on earth possessed this group to think the outcome would be any different this time?
Just curious but do you feel this way about others who come here? Everybody comes for a better life but I rarely hear people put the onus back on them to make things right back home. Is it because of how they've been treated in the past? Or a general desire to see them rebuild their home country? Or something else? I'm not discounting the history you've pointed out but I don't recall anyone coming through the southern border being treated well.

ETA: I'm not at all suggesting that poor treatment is ok or that what they're experiencing isn't worse. Just curious about the perspective that they need to focus on fixing home instead of seeking a better life for themselves and their families.
 
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yamilee21

Well-Known Member
Just curious but do you feel this way about others who come here? Everybody comes for a better life but I rarely hear people put the onus back on them to make things right back home. Is it because of how they've been treated in the past? Or a general desire to see them rebuild their home country? Or something else? I'm not discounting the history you've pointed out but I don't recall anyone coming through the southern border being treated well.

ETA: I'm not at all suggesting that poor treatment is ok or that what they're experiencing isn't worse. Just curious about the perspective that they need to focus on fixing home instead of seeking a better life for themselves and their families.
My perspective comes from being Haitian and watching the same thing happen over and over again. It’s so frustrating; people in Haiti who want to leave are so focused on leaving that they don’t hear anything that diaspora tell them about the realities of immigration. When the previous administration was becoming even harder on undocumented immigrants, a lot of Haitians went to Quebec, where they were processed more humanely… but the vast majority were/are still subject to deportation, even the ones deemed “heroes” for working in understaffed nursing homes during the worst of the pandemic. Every time there is a whisper of political trouble in DR, the government distracts by rousing up nationalist sentiments and deporting Haitians and Haitian descendants by the tens of thousands. The Bahamas does the same. Haiti was invited to join Caricom, but Haitians aren’t allowed to travel without visas to member nations the way citizens of all the other countries can. No country wants Haitian immigrants in the quantities Haitians wish to emigrate.
It’s too complicated to get into all the details… the situation is truly awful in most of the capital and the surrounding areas, but there is more to the country than Port-au-Prince; and there is a serious mismatch between the country’s resources and needs vs. what people are willing to do.
 

CarefreeinChicago

Well-Known Member
I don’t understand how the two situations are comparable. The US is directly responsible for Afghan’s needing to flee the country. How are we responsible for the earthquakes in Haiti?
If they have room for 95,000 they have room for what is it 860 something I don't know the exact number and why are they still working off of 45's policy's concerning immigrants?
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
I’m honestly not sure how to feel about this. Immigration issues don’t usually interest me because the people tend not to look like me and I’ve got enough to worry about. Immigration feels like a low priority right now given everything else that’s happening but it’s legitimately everything to those people. Seeing them as refugees changes the narrative some but sadly many can make that same claim. All I know is it’s hard seeing black people seeking help and being chased away like cattle. I wish I had the answers.
 

Kanky

Well-Known Member
If they can let 95,000 Afghanistan's in they can let these people in
I think that the Haitians need to go home. They will come here and then talk crap about AA’s like Joy Reid. No thank you and go fix your own country instead of coming to the one that we fixed.

ETA: They should offer them the Covid-19 vaccine before they send them back since we have extra.
 
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Kanky

Well-Known Member

yamilee21

Well-Known Member
By the way, for the anti-Haitian/anti-immigrants among you… Haiti welcomed African-Americans in the 19th century, when the United States sought to repatriate free blacks in the waning years of slavery and after the Civil War. Throughout the most of the 19th century, any person of African ancestry coming to Haiti was automatically entitled to citizenship. Not all remained, but many did, as their anglophone surnames are still found in the country.
 

Kanky

Well-Known Member
They still have to go back. :lol:

One of the great things about social media is that a lot of black immigrants showed how they really feel about the people whose hard work let them legally immigrate to this country. Joy Reid threw AAs under the bus from the national platform that she only had because AA’s supported her. I will also never forget all of the “I can’t vote for Hilary because of what the Clintons did in Haiti” Haitians-Americans who helped Trump get into office. The nastiness of that administration will probably impact my children’s children. I’ve noticed that AAs have been a lot less supportive of immigration issues lately.

That being said I am obviously not in favor of anyone being whipped. They need to treat people with dignity and respect as they send them back where they came from. Those border patrol need to be fired along with horses they rode in on.
 

Keen

Well-Known Member
It’s so frustrating; people in Haiti who want to leave are so focused on leaving that they don’t hear anything that diaspora tell them about the realities of immigration.
Many said their family in the US encouraged them to come. Most have a relative in the US whom they can come to. I think they only release you if you have somewhere to go. Some of these people has been in South America for over 5 years, they made the journey because they thought they had a shot. And they did. The Biden administration has been letting them in all year( I know this for sure because we've made a few airport pickups). This entire situation make it seem like the Biden administration is not an ally to Haitian immigrants. I can't buy into that narrative because I know people who didn't know what they would do if Trump got a second term. But as soon as Biden came, he renewed TPS.

What's happening at Del Rio is outrages. The democrats will hear our rage. I can't say the same for other administration. We wouldn't even be able to find them to hold their feet to the fire. I will probably get side eyes for feeling this way but I know too many people on TPS. Those people will never get green cards from the republicans. I'm not ready to throw the baby out with the bath water.

@yamilee21 I'm not speaking to you directly. I just went on a rant.
 

ScorpioBeauty09

Well-Known Member
I don’t understand how the two situations are comparable. The US is directly responsible for Afghan’s needing to flee the country. How are we responsible for the earthquakes in Haiti?
There's a whole sick history between the US and Haiti that includes a 20-year invasion 100 years ago. We, like France have fueled the economic and political turmoil in Haiti since they kicked out the wypipo in 1804. This article gives a decent overview.

 

yamilee21

Well-Known Member
Many said their family in the US encouraged them to come. Most have a relative in the US whom they can come to.
And that is another part of the problem - a lot of people here aren’t honest with their relatives, or are afraid to be, lest they be accused of wanting better for themselves than they do for their relatives. How do you encourage your own family to make such a trek? At this point, anyone in the U.S. who hasn’t heard about the way Mexican kidnapping cartels go after migrants trying to cross the border is being willfully obtuse. The Mexican kidnappers make the Haitian gang kidnappers look like Boy Scouts. And that is if they even make it to Mexico in the first place! The entire trek, from Chile to the U.S. border, is littered with corpses.

The whole situation, from every aspect, is so infuriating. But I do feel some grudging respect for Daniel Foote, the U.S. Special Envoy to Haiti, who resigned and didn’t mince words.
 
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