Haitian Bridge Alliance denounces Continued Discrimination and Rights Violations in Landmark Case Against Biden Administration
In a statement released this Thursday, the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) has brought attention to the ongoing suffering faced by Haitian asylum seekers under the U.S. government’s Haitian Deterrence Policy. The plaintiffs in the case, Haitian Bridge Alliance v. Biden, have filed a supplemental complaint highlighting allegations of racial discrimination and rights violations. The complaint sheds light on the persistent harms endured by Haitian asylum seekers, who experienced abuse in the CBP encampment in Del Rio, Texas, nearly two years ago. It also underscores the Biden Administration’s use of new policy mechanisms to deter Haitians from seeking protection in the United States.
One significant development discussed in the complaint is the expiration of Title 42 policy on May 11, 2023. The Biden Administration responded by publishing a final asylum ban rule, rendering asylum seekers traveling through third countries ineligible for asylum. Additionally, the policy mandates the use of the CBP One smartphone app to schedule an appointment for asylum requests at a port of entry. Disturbingly, the administration is now expanding this asylum ban to include migrants arriving by sea, a primary method used by Haitians and Cubans to seek safety in the U.S.
Guerline Jozef, co-founder and executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, expressed grave concerns over the treatment of Haitian asylum seekers. Jozef referred to a distressing incident involving Mirard Joseph, who was subjected to abuse by a CBP officer on horseback in Del Rio back in September 2021. Jozef highlighted the dire conditions faced by over 15,000 migrants, primarily Haitians, who were forced to endure sweltering heat without access to shelter, water, food, or medical care, including pregnant women and infants, all while seeking asylum.
“Almost two years later, there has been no accountability from the Biden Administration for this abusive and inhumane treatment, and the federal government continues to discriminate against Haitian asylum seekers and deter them from coming to U.S. soil.”, regrets the Haitian Bridge Alliance.
Jozef criticized the lack of accountability from the Biden Administration for the abusive and inhumane treatment that occurred. She accused the federal government of continuing to discriminate against Haitian asylum seekers, effectively deterring them from seeking refuge on U.S. soil. Jozef further pointed out that the plaintiffs who were expelled back to Haiti faced even greater danger than before they fled. Increased instability and danger in Haiti, coupled with the vulnerability of Haitians expelled from the U.S. to kidnappings and violence upon their return, compounds their perilous situation.
Jozef emphasized that if the U.S. government had respected the constitutional and statutory rights of Haitian individuals seeking safety in Del Rio in 2021, they would not be compelled to risk their lives by attempting to return to the border in desperate survival attempts. She stressed that lives could be saved if Haitians trapped in life-threatening conditions were allowed to seek the protection they are entitled to. Jozef concluded by characterizing these actions as acts of anti-Haitian and anti-Black racism, vowing that the fight for justice would not cease until both the HBA’s clients and the Haitian community receive the justice they deserve.
“The Haitian Bridge Alliance et al v. Biden case was initially filed by the HBA on behalf of the organization and 11 individual plaintiffs.”, explained the HBA. The aim of the lawsuit is to “hold the government accountable for the detention and expulsion of thousands of Haitians seeking safety in Del Rio, Texas, in September 2021.”, remind the Haitian Bridge Alliance in a statement released this Thursday.
As this case unfolds, it shines a light on the plight of Haitian asylum seekers and raises important questions about the treatment and protection of vulnerable populations. The outcomes of this legal battle will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the future of immigration policies and the lives of those seeking refuge in the United States.