Haiti

Some Say Border Crisis Highlights Need for New Policy

After spending more than a week camped out under a border bridge in Del Rio, Texas, thousands of migrants have been released into the United States.

Despite the Biden administration announcing that the migrants would face immediate expulsion, according to two U.S. officials, some migrants were actually told they have 60 days to appear at an immigration office to get a court date for an asylum hearing.

Other Haitians were flown back to the island nation under pandemic-related authority that denies migrants an opportunity to seek asylum.

Susan Wallace heads up the Norwich-based nonprofit organization Outreach to Haiti. She said the crisis highlights the need for a fair border policy, noting that there are many Haitians waiting at home hoping to come to the U.S. through legal channels.

“The Haitians I know, and I know many Haitians, are creative, hardworking, not looking for handouts, who simply want what most human beings I’ve met want which is a life they can provide for their loved ones and to develop themselves," said Wallace.

Wallace said her organization is not providing outreach to the migrants at the border because it works strictly in Haiti to provide education to children on the island.

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