Syrian Immigration - Haiti Observer Blog

STATEMENT FROM BITTA MOSTOFI, ACTING COMMISSIONER OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DECISION ON TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR SYRIA

"New Yorkers welcome the Trump Administration's decision to provide a common sense extension of Temporary Protected Status for nearly 7,000 Syrians living in the United States today. But Secretary Nielsen's decision to bar an estimated 2,000 Syrians who arrived in the U.S. after August 2016 from applying for this protection blatantly disregards the legal standards for the program.

The Administration is talking out of both sides of its mouth and putting people in danger as a result. By recognizing that Syria is not able to safely absorb current TPS recipients, there is no justification for refusing their fellow nationals currently in the United States the same humanitarian relief. Syria is still an active war zone and the threat of harm and violence is vivid. The City will do our utmost to support all New Yorkers who are suffering as a result of the White House's misguided immigration policies, including by connecting people with free legal help. The Trump Administration's failure to recognize that all Syrians unable to return due to crisis conditions there are worthy of protection is simply unconscionable."

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Three Syrians who arrived in the island of St Maarten last Saturday with fake Greek passports were arrested there. The three men arrived aboard an Insel Air flight from Haiti. Police is currently investigating to determine whether or not this three Syrians nationals are connected to the terrorist bombing in France.

The police of Phillipsburg, St Maarten, arrested these three men, believed to be nationals of Syria, who tried to enter the country on Saturday, November 14th, using false Greek Passports. They arrived at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) around 7:30 pm on the flight 7I Insel Air 534 that departed Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince at 6:56 p.m. The suspects were remanded in custody for further investigation. Some sources suggest that, they landed on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten with apparent plans to sneak into the United States. Earlier, their travel itinerary as per their seized documents was: Tour initiated from Europe then stopped at Brazil, then the Dominican Republic and Haiti before arriving on St Maarten. However, authorities have said that their ultimate destination is still unclear. Investigation is continuing to determine their identities and how they obtained the fake documents.

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Michel Cincinnatus Leconte, descendent of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the first head of state of the new Republic of Haiti, assumed the office of the presidency, backed by Parliament in August 1911. Prior to his ascendency, Leconte had been appointed Minister of the Interior by President Pierre Nord Alexis, but was pressured to flee to Jamaica when a coup ran Alexis out of office in 1908. François Antoine Simon then held the office.

By 1911 Cincinnatus Leconte returned, amassing an army to remove Simon from office by force. He was successful, arriving in Port-au-Prince a hero. In gratitude, Parliament ushered him into office, with an unprecedented seven-year term.

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Tiresias Simon Sam was born on May 15, 1835, in Grande-Riviere-du-Nord. Tiresias was born with leadership skills and had a lot of passion for his country. Before being a president he served as a general and then a minister of war under Florvil Hyppolite. He was chosen as the acting president after the death of Hyppolite and he was elected as the president of Haiti on March 31, 1896.

Tiresias valued education and always choose educated people in his government. He was determined to make Haiti a better place and for sure Haiti developed greatly during his era. He increased jobs opportunities, improved transport, contracted U.S to build street car in Port -au-Prince and built a railway line to connect Cap Haitian to Grand Riviere du Nord and Port -au-Prince to Cul-de-Sac. Tiresias also built a civil court in Cap-Haitian and updated the school of science, Engineering and architecture.

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