America’s Somalia: Massive racism and violence committed against Haitian migrants

Various US governments have hypocritically advocated democracy and diversity throughout the globe, but the reality is quite different. The US’ track record in dealing with asylum seekers presents a complete disdain for their civil and human rights.

For instance, Haiti, a nation of 11 million people, is infamous for its political instability and insecurity; two-thirds of the population lives in abject poverty and relies largely on humanitarian aid. The Haitian government is often seen as a “failed state” on the verge of becoming “America’s Somalia.” Nearly 14,000 destitute Haitian migrants crossed the border into Texas through Mexico lately, fleeing poverty, starvation, and imminent political unrest in their country. The US administration, on the other hand, is refusing to admit them.

Human rights organisations voiced indignation over video footage of American horse-riding border guards whipping defenceless asylum seekers.

Although the United States originally refused to endorse the 1951 Refugee Convention, it eventually agreed to all of the Convention’s responsibilities by passing the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in 1967.

“When flying over Del Rio, I was horrified to witness the terrible circumstances,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement released after images of Haitian asylum seekers being assaulted by the US mounted border guards were released.

Following the recent disclosure of footage from the notorious “Del Rio refugee camp,” several rallies against the Biden administration have erupted across the world.

Furthermore, Amnesty International has reprimanded White House officials for failing to take an inexorable stance on human rights abuses against Haitian immigrants.

The far-right Republican lawmakers, on the other hand, condemn Biden’s administration for taking a lenient approach vis-à-vis the refugee issue.

As in past administrations, the Biden administration seeks to deport asylum seekers.

Many believe that Mr Biden had forgotten that, before becoming president, he called Trump’s refugee strategy a “moral catastrophe.”

Following a brief reversal of Trump’s draconian immigration policies, after his inauguration, Biden now argues that “now is not the time” for asylum seekers to escape to the United States, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a justification for breaking his presidential campaign pledges.

At the moment, US border guards are detaining about 15,500 asylum seekers, most of whom are minors, in deplorable circumstances in Customs and Border Protection facilities and other run-down and dilapidated shelters devoid of health services or medical care.

According to UN reports, these impoverished youngsters are sleeping on the ground in filthy conditions in heavily crowded shelters.

Filippo Grandi has also described the treatment of migrants at the US-Mexico border as a blatant breach of international standards, urging the US to reconsider its restrictions and allow asylum applicants to enter Texas.

The United States has always maintained a special relationship with Haiti.

In 1915, the United States invaded Haiti in response to protests to President Woodrow Wilson from American banks with whom Haiti was heavily in debt.

Despite their shared history, the United States has never fulfilled its historical obligations to Haiti.

During the UN Human Rights Council’s 47th session this year, Iran, along with Venezuela, Belarus, China, and Syria were among the countries that denounced systemic human rights abuses in US refugee detention centres.