Congresswoman Wilson Urging Biden Administration to Suspend Deportations to Haiti During the Pandemic
[Washington, D.C.] – Congresswoman Wilson is leading a letter to the Biden administration in response to the large number of expulsions to Haiti that have recently taken place under Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act. The letter urges the administration to rescind this practice. Additionally, to temporarily suspend all deportations for the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The president sought to implement a 100-day deportation moratorium. However, a federal judge in Texas issued a temporary restraining order enjoining its implementation. Nonetheless, ICE can utilize discretion in prioritizing deportations and is not constrained in ending Ttitle 42 expulsions. Most Haitian removals that have taken place in recent weeks have been caried out under Title 42.
A recent deportation flight bound for Port-au-Prince contained 22 children, including a two-month-old infant.
Last spring, the Florida lawmaker, who represents one of the nation’s largest Haitian-American communities, introduced the Haitian Deportation Relief Act. Beginning with the suspension of deportations of Haitian nationals until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. This for both persons in the United States and Haiti. In July, she also introduced the Immigration Enforcement Moratorium Act to halt all deportations for the duration of the pandemic.
“Haiti has faced severe economic and political struggles for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic and developing constitutional and security crises have compounded the island-nation’s exiting problems. Haiti is in no state to be accepting deportation flights and many, if not all, of the migrants who are being sent there pose no national security risk,” said Rep. Wilson. “I was heartbroken to hear about the numbers of families and children being sent into these increasingly unstable conditions. While I am grateful for President Biden’s leadership in seeking to end this pandemic and encouraged by his vision on immigration reform, we can and must do better.”
