They had emigrated to Latin America with the hope of a better life, before heading to the United States. Now expelled by the hundreds from American soil, young Haitians find, after years of exile, an impoverished country which has no capacity to welcome them.
Returned to Haiti with his wife and 2-year-old son, Belton (loan name) remains marked by the three months of travel across the American continent.
“We crossed nine countries. On the way, we saw a lot of dead people, corpses. We slept in the jungle. And now it’s over,” he sighs, without having the slightest idea of what he will do for a living in the next few days.
Many left Haiti years ago, such as those who served as cheap labor for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014. From there they turned to Chile, the economy more flourishing, but this country closed its doors to them in 2018, forcing them to resume their journey, to the United States this time.
“They sold everything they had in Chile and spent thousands of US dollars to cross Latin America. And they are now returning to Haiti with only their clothes on their backs,” laments economist Etzer Emile.
– “No work here” –
The gathering of thousands of migrants, a large majority of them Haitians, under a bridge on the border between Mexico and the United States, prompted the Biden administration to speed up the removal of these families, without allowing them to file a claim. asylum.
“We know very well that we were a problem, because there were really starting to be people under the bridge, but send us back here, to do what?” Asks Raphaël, expelled on Sunday in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.
“When I was in Chile, I was able to send some money for my family,” says the 32-year-old.
This new diaspora in Latin America had become essential in the daily life of their relatives in Haiti: last year, 134 million dollars were sent to the country by individuals in Chile.
“There is no work here, we are not going to do anything,” laments Raphael.
For the time being, each person expelled from Texas receives a nest egg, paid by the American government, in the amount of 10,000 gourdes (about 87 euros), half of which is paid via a mobile application to prevent these new arrivals from being the target of thefts.
There is “no follow-up from the ONM (National Migration Office): once people leave the airport with a small lump sum, it’s over,” laments Amoce Auguste, lawyer and deputy director of the Citizen Protection Office.
Alone, they must return to Haitian society, a difficult task for those who have left for “5, 7 or 10 years”, regrets Me Auguste.
– “All Haitians would like to flee” –
These Haitians who had left their country for lack of employment must now find a place in an economy in free fall.
“What we are experiencing is an unprecedented situation: economic growth will be negative for a third consecutive year”, warns Etzer Emile.
Added to the pain of having seen their dream of exile disappear is the anguish of finding a country plagued by out-of-control crime.
“They come at a time when all Haitians would like to flee the insecurity of gangs,” said Amoce Auguste.
Since the end of 2020, the armed gangs that ruled the shanty towns of the capital have extended their hold across the country.
The hundreds of migrants sent back to Haiti cannot turn to their leaders: the country has no longer had a legitimate leader since the assassination, on July 7, of President Jovenel Moïse.
Suspected of having had telephone contact with one of the people wanted for the murder, current head of government Ariel Henry sacked his justice minister last week and is working to find an agreement with the political opposition in order to gain credibility.
Haiti is “neither used” to manage so many migrants, nor “the logistics” necessary, summarizes Etzer Emile.
“But the worst is that it is not the priority of the authorities: the priority is to share the government cake for the next cabinet reshuffle”, regrets the economist.
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