Illegal Immigration - Haiti Observer Blog

The Dominican Republic doesn't want them. Now, according to the latest news, neither does Haiti. The Haitian Foreign Minister Lener Renauld announced that his country will not receive any immigrants who are not Haitians. This decision was taken following to counter the decision of the Dominican Republic to deport both Haitian nationals as well as some Dominicans with root to Haiti.

The Haitian government is currently in what some would call a diplomatic war with its neighbor over the immigration issue. Haitian Foreign Minister Lener Renauld had denounced some of the decisions adopted by the Dominican government, which did not include a protocol for an orderly repatriation of undocumented migrants.

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You would't believe it however there are still some countries that treat Haitian immigrants decently. That is the case in Ecuador. Following a request from Haitian President Michel Martelly to President Rafael Correa, a new provision was adopted by the Ecuadorian government to regularize all Haitian nationals who have been living in Ecuador.

Any Haitians who have been living in Ecuador illegally before May 4, 2015, are now eligible to apply for a non-immigrant visa type 12-XI. This visa will be valid for six months at the time. Once the visa is obtained, the beneficiary can then apply for a migrant visa.

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I don't know if you have been following the surge of Donald Trump in the poll for the Republican party in the united States. Whatever the reasons are, it seems like he has been connecting with the population more than the other Republican candidates. One of the issues that is of priority to him is immigration. Like many others, Donald Trump thinks the United States should abolish Birthright citizenship.

For us Haitian this issue is even more important as we are at this time dealing with the problem of Birthright. Our neighbor, the Dominican Republic, has decided to deport to Haiti not only those who have been emigrating illegally but also their children, whether or not they were born in the Dominican Republic. Dominicans of Haitian descent have been stripped of their citizenship rights.

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On Monday, May 25, 2015, about 30 members of Montreal's Haitian community gathered outside the Citizenship and Immigration office in Montreal to denounce a federal government decision to resume deportation of about 3,200 Haitians and 300 Zimbabwe nationals. In an earlier statement dated December 1, 2014, the Canadian Government has informed that in acknowledgment of improved conditions in Haiti and Zimbabwe, the Government of Canada will lift the temporary suspension of removals (TSR) to these two countries, unless the people from Haiti and Zimbabwe living in Canada for decades, fulfill the immigration criteria and apply for a permanent resident status before June 1, 2015. People without any legal status from these two countries in Canada will be removed.

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Is Haiti practicing the words of the Bible literally in the ongoing crisis with the Dominican Republic? "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest". Haiti continues to remain true to itself by welcoming anyone who has problem in their own country. However, when do you say enough is enough?

Long ago, thousands of Haitians nationals crossed the border to seek work; many of them at the request of the Dominican Republic to go work in Batey. Like in any other countries, immigrants who usually come for work tend to stay by making the new land their own and also contribute much more to the society. The least that new country could offer them is a path to normalization and citizenship.

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According to U.S. anthropology professor Bertin Louis, the new policy on immigration that's to be effected by the Government of Bahamas from November 1. 2014, is clearly 'xenophobic' because it does not give any opportunity to claim asylum. Under the new immigration laws, the Government of The Bahamas will no longer accept any application of work visas from persons living in Bahamas illegally. In the middle of September, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Frederick Mitchell has said that persons without any legal status will not be permitted to work in Bahamas anymore and those intending to do so will be will be arrested, charged and deported. Any foreigner living in the Bahamas must have a valid passport of own home country. The children of the immigrants (with population around 370,000), if can confirm their legal status of residence, will be allowed to live, attend schools, and work in the islands.

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Bahamian authorities are about to take a zero tolerance stance with their new immigration restrictions. Following a string of arrests spanning from August 19, 2014 to as recently as September 17, the government of the Bahamas is considering changes that will greatly impact the urge many Haitians have to flee to the more prosperous country.

The numbers are uncertain, but it was estimated in 2009 that there were about 50,000 illegal Haitian settlers in the Bahamas. Attempting the address that, the Bahamian Government may adapt measures that will make it harder for migrant workers to settle there. One new rule, which went into immediate effect, was that work permits will no longer be issued to those with an illegal status in the country. An illegal who applies for one will also be arrested and deported. Other measures being considered are a permanent ban on the bestowing of legal status to anyone who has ever been deported from the country and additional fees for any Haitians seeking permits to work in the Bahamas. They may also be required to make an in-person application at the Bahamas Embassy in Haiti. The possible changes have been presented to the Haitian ambassador in the Bahamas, and will be discussed with other Haitian officials.

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The Haitian Women of Miami staged a press conference outside their Miami offices on August 27, 2014 to test the theory that there is strength in numbers. The advocates would try to sway the immigration officials, who have in custody over a dozen Haitian migrants, to release a list of the names of those held. Speaking to the crowd at the event, the group's Executive Director, Marleine Bastien, said that the detainees needed to be given their right to due process.

The refugees were picked up days before as they tried to enter the United States through Hillsboro Beach. Information is scarce, but of the 20 migrants suspected to have set out, 19 have survived, 5 of whom are children. Desperate family members also were present at the press conference, holding up pictures of their loves ones, chanting along with the crowd for a stop to deportation and the release of the children in custody.

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New Bahamas enforcement policy illegal, immoral, said Fred Smith, (GBHRA)

The Perry Christie Bahamian government's new immigration policy is a barely concealed form of ethnic cleansing according to the Grand Bahamas Human Rights Association (GBHRA). It consists of a non-discriminatory process, in which immigration authorities conduct dragnets in the middle of the night in communities, in which large populations of Haitian descendents live. No effort is made to separate the innocent from the guilty until later, a blatant violation of human rights. GBHRA President Fred Smith charged the cattle-herding policy ". . . is unconstitutional . . . (and) they are breeding 'Haitian hatred', racism, and discrimination."

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Human Rights Abuses Unnecessary to Enforce Immigration Law in the Bahamas

The Grand Bahamas Human Rights Association (GBHRA) has called the government of The Bahamas (GOB) new immigration policy illegal and immoral, formulated ". . . to strike fear into the Haitian-Bahamian population." Immigration officials are going into neighborhoods in the middle of the night where large communities of Haitians live, and indiscriminately hauling them off to detention centers. Only after they have been detained do officials check to see if immigrants are illegal or not. According to GBHRA President Fred Smith such treatment is a blatant transgression of a basic tenet of law: people are innocent until proven guilty.

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