Biden Must Pause Deportation of Haitians, Respect Due Process

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rafael Medina, [email protected], 202.869.0390

WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 60 other civil and human rights organizations called on President Biden to immediately pause the removal of Haitians and to investigate the recent treatment of migrants and conditions at the U.S. southern border. The letter also denounces the treatment of Haitians seeking asylum at the U.S. border and pleads with the administration to uphold basic due process and human rights.

The letter states: “In May, your administration acknowledged the dangers of Haitians returning to Haiti by the granting of Temporary Protective Status (TPS). Since that time, the political and economic conditions in Haiti have significantly deteriorated with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise and the earthquake in August that killed more than 2,200 people. Unfortunately, these horrific events follow a long history of discriminatory U.S. policies and laws against Haitian asylum seekers and migrants.”

The letter continues: “Given the historic and systemic unjust treatment of Haitians, we urge you to break the cycle of discriminatory U.S. policies and laws, and we urge you to exercise prosecutorial discretion by ordering a temporary pause on the removal of Haitians who have arrived in the United States. Humanitarian considerations warrant suspending removal flights to Haiti due to the ongoing political and economic turmoil and natural disasters there.”

The letter and list of signatories are available here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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