Haitian-Americans urge halt to deportations

Haitian-Americans urge halt to deportations

Associated Press - February 28, 2009 4:44 AM ET
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Officials and community leaders from the Haitian-American community in South Florida are urging the Obama administration to immediately halt all deportations to the Caribbean nation.

They're holding a rally Saturday afternoon in Pompano Beach to call attention to the matter.

Haitian officials say the struggling country can't handle the return of deported citizens while it copes with the lingering effects of last year's tropical storms and food riots.

Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph says he won't issue the travel documents needed to remove most deportees from the U.S. until there's a review of Bush administration policies toward Haiti. Among them: a refusal to grant temporary protected status to Haitians.

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Yes ,it is right to show solidarity toward the refugees,but it is time also that the haitians stop making babies like rabbits..The United Sates will not be able to absorb every haitian who wishes to leave the hell that you make of your country.

How many more will come after these 30000 ?Will you ask for the United sates to grant them asylum while you 're spending 1 million dollars to dance in Mardi gras?Isn't it time you control the population of your country instead of spending 16 million dollars every two years to elect Senators.You can not blame the americans for your lack of charity toward your own people.

Ambassador Raymond Joseph should understand that these refugees are the consequences of the coups d'etat that he and his associates in the Bush administration perpetrated to topple the duly elected government of haiti which was working to alleviate the sufferings of the poors.Now he wants to embarrass the Obama's administration in opposing the orders of the U.S. government to control its borders.Why didn't he think of the consequences of the coups d'etat?

I am no more american than any other americans.However no country can open its border for all the people who want to come to better their economic situation.The resources of the United satets are not infinite.It is time that haitian politicians take responsibilities for their misdeeds instead of blaming the Obama's administration.

It is welcomed in the United States of America for people to protest what they perceive to be an unjustice. In this case however, it would probably be more effective if the haitian-american organizations, religious, civic, professional, and non-professional, to include the college and high school students to write a joint letter to president Obama and their leaders in Congress and the Senate to support the legitimate cause of the haitian people. It is our belief that there are hundreds if not thousands of such groups in the USA. While local initiatives are welcomed, they tend to serve the needs of a few people, who in some instances, are out for their own personal and political gains. It would be wise for the leaders of the communities around the country to galvanize their efforts and truly make a difference.