What is happening in Haiti?

Haiti is facing a crisis, and Haitians are begging the American government for their lives.

According to The New York Times, Haiti’s prime minister is linked to the Haitian president’s assassination. The people of Haiti learned not to rely on the government for help or resources. Self-reliance is the Haitian way of life.

After President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July, turmoil grew. To compound this, natural disaster struck. Haiti underwent horrible flash floods and earthquakes. Poverty and violence skyrocketed. Moïses assassination left Haiti in a compromising position, “the world’s most troubled nation pushed further into lawlessness” according to The New York Times.

“Armed gangs have taken greater control of the streets, terrorizing poor neighborhoods and sending thousands fleeing, kidnapping even schoolchildren and church pastors in the middle of their services. Poverty and hunger are rising, with many accusing members of the government of enriching themselves while not providing the population with even the most basic services.”

The Haitian government has been dysfunctional at best. At one point two different individuals simultaneously assumed the role of Prime Minister.

From this assassination in July 2021, the Haiti community worsened and it only became more destructive. There was immaturity in the situation as those greedy enough were willing to kill for power. In this case, the senator tried to take power.

The Haitian government was in shambles. There were economic shortages and great instability. Resources were at an all-time low. Pressures from the lack of governmental structure and natural disasters were forcing Haitians to evacuate their towns.

About 2,200 people were killed from the earthquake that struck southern Haiti on August 7th and left more than 30,00 people homeless according to The Guardian Newspaper. Poverty, corruption, and violence were only increasing. Gangs began a “civil war” launching violence with the help of political authorities.

The pandemic only escalated the dysfunction in the community, with Haiti being the hardest-hit country in North America, with less than 1% of the population currently vaccinated (as of 10/11/2021) according to a recent US-CDC governmental report.

All of this led to a mass exodus from Haiti, with many individuals fleeing in search of a better life.

Why is it a problem in America?

How do refugees apply for asylum you may ask? Simply by crossing the border at any point and requesting it. This is exactly what Haitians leaving a natural disaster-stricken and volatile political landscape have been doing, with much criticism and skepticism from those who fear refugees immigrating.

America’s response to Haitian refugees has been historically poor and unlike the treatment of other minority groups. In the 1990s, over 12,000 Haitian refugees were detained in Guantanamo Bay indefinitely and most, eventually, were denied asylum. This is just one example of the historic ignorance and mistreatment of Haitian refugees by the United States government.

Recently, we have seen more public displays of inequality in treatment, with border patrol agents in a manner appearing to be very similar to slave patrol tactics, whipping refugees and calling for them to go “back to Mexico”.

“Policies were specifically designed to deter Haitians from coming in. These policies became the prototype for what became a global system of migrant incarceration,” says Lindskoog, a professor of history at Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey, regarding the industrialization and institutionalization of immigration processes.

Haitians historically have been painted as unskilled and unmotivated, but in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Refugees are individuals who have literally risked life and limb to trek across countries in search of a better life for themselves and their families and to escape hardship. They have no desire to create more.

Asylum seekers may sound like a scary population, however, in reality, refugees are statistically proven to be hard-working contributing members of society that better a nation’s economy and lead to further economic prosperity. Areas with high refugee populations are even oftentimes safer than non-refugee housing populations. This at times can be attributed to the homogeneity of a community, but is, nevertheless, impressive. (AJoPH, Asylum Seekers, Violence and Health, Kalt, Hossian and Zimmerman)

With anti-immigrant sentiments growing, and little meaningful action accomplished in Congress, especially on non “American” issues, the future looks bleak for thousands of Haitian refugees.

“The federal government has abdicated its responsibility of providing much-needed humanitarian protection and other support for the Haitian refugees,” said Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director for Lawyers for Civil Rights, but, some dim hope remains. Massachusetts has stepped up.

Massachusetts has recently opened its doors to a large number of Haitian refugees, opening, “up their hearts and saying, ‘Yes, I am willing to help you because I know that you have been going through so much,’” says Gabeau, an individual familiar with the situation. Massachusetts natives have been providing aid regardless of pressures from the federal government to deport refugees.

The situation for Haitians may look bleak, it is. But, there is wisdom to be taken from such a resilient population with such a strong, enduring desire for freedom. Haitians have a long history of fighting for justice and if any place on Earth can bounce back from such turmoil and instability, it is the world’s first independent Black republic that was able to outwit Napoleon.