U.S., Mexico Begin Removal Flights for Haitian Migrants

Haitians who were deported from the United States deplane at the Toussaint Louverture Inte
AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn
Bob Price

The United States and Mexico began flying Haitian migrants back to their home country on Sunday afternoon. The flights took hundreds of migrants who had previously been detained at the makeshift migrant camp in Del Rio, Texas, back to Haiti.

The Associated Press reported that the United States took action to “stem the flow of migrants into Texas” on Sunday by blocking the pathways to the Del Rio migrant camp and beginning Title 42 removal flights to Haiti. The Government of Mexico also announced it will fly Haitian migrants from its northern and southern borders back to their home nation.

Haitians who were deported from the United States wait ti be registered after arriving at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, in Port au Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Sep. 19, 2021. Thousands of Haitian migrants have been arriving to Del Rio, Texas, to ask for asylum in the U.S., as authorities begin to deported them to back to Haiti. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Haitians who were deported from the United States wait to be registered after arriving at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, in Port au Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Sep. 19, 2021. Thousands of Haitian migrants have been arriving to Del Rio, Texas, to ask for asylum in the U.S., as authorities begin to deported them to back to Haiti. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

“The rapid expulsions were made possible by a pandemic-related authority adopted by former President Donald Trump in March 2020 that allows for migrants to be immediately removed from the country without an opportunity to seek asylum,” the AP reported. “President Joe Biden exempted unaccompanied children from the order but let the rest stand.”

Three flights, carrying 145 Haitian migrants each, landed at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Sunday. The flights carried migrant families who had been in the camp on the Texas border just a few days earlier.

DEL RIO, TX - SEPTEMBER 17: Migrants bathe in the Rio Grande River near a makeshift encampment under the International Bridge between Del Rio, TX and Acuña, MX on September 17, 2021 in Del Rio, Texas. The makeshift encampment has grown rapidly and officials are struggling to provide food, water, shelter, and sanitation, forcing between 8,000 and 12,000 migrants to walk across the Rio Grande several times each day for basic necessities. (Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images)

Migrants bathe in the Rio Grande River near a makeshift encampment under the International Bridge between Del Rio, TX and Acuña, MX on September 17, 2021 in Del Rio, Texas. (Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images)

“All the deportees were given $100 and tested for COVID-19, though authorities were not planning to put them into quarantine, said Marie-Lourde Jean-Charles with the Office of National Migration,” according to the AP.

The AP added:

One Haitian political leader questioned Sunday whether the nation could handle an influx of returning migrants and said the government should stop the repatriation.

“We have the situation in the south with the earthquake. The economy is a disaster, (and) there are no jobs,” Election Minister Mathias Pierre said, adding that most Haitians can’t satisfy basic needs. “The prime minister should negotiate with the U.S. government to stop those deportations in this moment of crises.”

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told reporters at a press conference near the Del Rio camp that all of the migrants will be returned to their countries of origin, Breitbart Texas reported.

“They will be removed, and they will be sent back to their country of origin as mandated under our current law,” Ortiz promised. “We’re working around the clock to expeditiously move migrants out of the heat elements and promoted eaters bridge to our processing facilities in order to quickly process and remove individuals from the United States — consistent with our laws and our policies.”

The flood of mostly Haitian migrants crossing the border from Mexico screeched to a halt on Saturday afternoon when Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered hundreds of DPS troopers and National Guardsmen to shut down the crossing point near the camp.

The AP reported some migrants attempted to cross at other access points but were met by Border Patrol agents and Texas law enforcement officials who stopped their entry.

“An Associated Press reporter saw Haitian immigrants still crossing the river into the U.S. about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) east of the previous spot, but they were eventually stopped by Border Patrol agents on horseback and Texas law enforcement officials,” the AP stated.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.