Current Haitian Crisis

Haiti has never been the same after the 2010 earthquake that killed over 200,000 people and displaced 1.5 million. Once the small country had endorsed the unprecedented catastrophe, they were forever changed. It was harder to obtain supplies such as food and water, and a mass Cholera outbreak occurred. 

Cholera can be caused by an infection within the intestine, and can be produced if people inject food or water that is contaminated. Haiti dealt with a mass outbreak in 2010, and in 2018 it was recorded that almost 10% of the population had contracted it at some time. 

Civil unrest began when the government declared that it would end fuel subsidies, which led to police taking action against the citizens. 

Which only continued when political tensions rose, and the President Jovenel Moïse refused to leave his seat in office after opposition deemed his term was to end, he was assassinated on July 7, 2021 by four Colombian men. 

Later, 44 people had been arrested in connection to the assassination of President Moïse, and it was suspected that many of them were of the opposing political part in Haiti. 

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All these events–including tropical storms and another earthquake–transpired into the thousands of Haitians attempting to cross the border at Del Rio, fleeing from poverty and a broken government. 

Haitians camped under a bridge in the border town, after crossing the United States border. Striking videos released of Border Agents on horses attempting to turn the Haitians around–after they crossed over the border to retrieve food in Mexico–as the agents appeared to be using whips on the people. 

The photos tell the story of the journey immigrants face as they attempt to cross over the American border, but in the current pandemic-era enforcement going on, immigrants are not currently granted asylum in the United States. 

Any immigrant who attempts to cross the United States border and comes from a Coronavirus hotspot are not granted asylum and agents are to expel them even if they express fear of persecution. 

But, due to the actions of the Border Patrol Agents, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed the agents who acted in such ways have been put on administrative duties and will be investigated. 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki states that border patrol “should never be able to do it again” and the images were “horrific.” 

Last week, Homeland Security granted 2,324 Haitians on 21 flights back to Haiti and are said to continue them as more Haitians are uncovered. In doing so, it is to ward off any others from making the journey to cross the border.