Since President-elect Donald Trump intends to terminate the programs and carry out mass deportations on the first day of his administration, Haitians who are already in the United States lawfully under temporary programs express fear about their ability to stay in the country.
When gang violence spread throughout Port-au-Prince, the capital, and the surrounding area, Warrens Dolcine, then 23 years old, was studying political science and international relations at the Universit d tat d Ha ti. This put her and her mother in constant danger.
She said that the gangs did not seize power overnight. It happened slowly. They started by working on your mind. In 2021, they began abducting people, and I was forced to often leave my home to be with my relatives. Eventually, neither my mother nor I felt safe.
For two years, the mother and daughter lived with relatives outside of Port-au-Prince and alternated between their house. They left Haiti when the violence increased. Dolcine and her mother arrived in the US following a turbulent escape under the Biden administration’s Humanitarian Parole Program, which presently provides a legitimate route for temporary visas for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
For a maximum of two years, eligible individuals are permitted to remain in the nation and work. Candidates must have a U.S.-based sponsor and fulfill certain requirements, such as passing security checks. The CHNV program seeks to solve the escalating refugee issues in nations such as Haiti.
According to the National Foundation for American Policy, by the end of August 2024, about half a million individuals from the four nations have entered the United States under humanitarian parole under the Biden administration, with 210,000 of them being Haitians.
In December 2023, Dolcine and her mother lawfully entered the United States under the sponsorship of her great-aunt. She now takes care of her crippled mother while working full-time as an assistant at her New York City church.
Trump declared on the campaign trail that he would begin an unprecedented deportation drive that will target drug and human traffickers as well as undocumented felons. Trump also stated in an interview with NewsNation that he plans to terminate programs such as Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire in 2026 and would require a renewal. Since George H.W. Bush, the program has been implemented by administrations.
When contacted by NBC News, Trump’s team did not specifically address the impact of these plans on Haitian migrants. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, however, stresses that potential program beneficiaries go through stringent background checks to make sure they do not pose a security threat to the United States.
Although Dolcine is adamant about remaining in the United States, she expressed concern for her mother, who is emotionally and financially dependent on her.
“I have a problem if my mom has a problem,” she stated. “What will happen to us?” she asks. Although I don’t know the answers, I trust that God will provide a solution.
According to him, Orilas Jean Francois was likewise compelled to depart Haiti due to extraordinary circumstances. He claimed to have owned banking and construction companies back home, which gave his family a secure existence. However, Francois began formulating a plan to flee the economic collapse and violence that currently characterize the island nation in early 2024.
“I didn’t make that decision lightly,” he remarked. In order to find safety and a means of supporting my wife and kids, I had to leave.
Port-au-According to the UN, Prince is seeing an increase in violence, with at least 5,600 murders and around 1,500 kidnappings recorded in the previous year. At least 207 people were killed in a massacre in December at Cit Soleil, where the Wharf J r mie gang burned, disfigured, or abandoned the bodies at sea.
Even after he was granted permission to enter the United States through the Humanitarian Parole Program, gang violence and political instability repeatedly postponed his departure from Haiti.
“I had my ticket and my documents ready to go in March, but flights were canceled and the streets were unsafe due to an assassination in the prison,” Francois recalled. He had to ask USCIS for an extension after his first permit expired due to the numerous delays in his travel. The tension was intolerable.
In July, Francois eventually made it to the United States as part of the program.Francois said he is focusing on learning English and obtaining stable employment after a few months of living in New York City with his family.
He declared, “I don’t want to depend on other people for support.” In addition to working and supporting my family, I wish to thank my sponsors.
In response to criticism that migrants depend on government assistance, Francois and Dolcine both underlined their dedication to self-sufficiency.
However, there are problems with the temporary programs. After at least 101,000 applications were submitted by so-called serial sponsors, who regularly used the same contact details and Social Security numbers, the Humanitarian Parole Program was momentarily suspended last year, according to USCIS.
However, Dolcine emphasized the contributions of Haitian migrants in the United States, who work primarily in service-related jobs, including a large number of health care support positions. A independent research organization called the Migration Policy Institute reports that 71% of Haitian immigrants who are 16 years of age or older are employed in the civilian sector, compared to 66% of all foreign-born people.
She said, “Every Haitian I know is a skilled worker.” We are employed in a variety of occupations, including construction and medicine. In addition to working full-time and supporting my mother, I intend to pursue a nursing degree.
Deportation would put Francois in grave danger. He claimed that we had no choice but to leave. Life does not exist in Haiti. We will be in considerably more danger if we are sent back.
The emotional toll of being in limbo was emphasized by Yolette Williams, CEO of the Haitian American Alliance of New York, which offers assistance to Haitians both locally and in their homeland.
According to her, the absence of a well-defined plan is disastrous. In order to reconstruct their lives, people require stability. At the absolute least, the government needs to make things clear and give people who have previously shown they are making a contribution to society more protection.
Despite Trump’s threats to eliminate programs that give migrants like Dolcine and Francois a lifeline, they continue to stand their ground, finding strength in their ambitions and religion. Regarding the president-elect, Dolcine smiled and remarked, “He talks a lot.” I’m just going to be present and let things happen as they come.