‘Obscene’: Rights groups slam US expulsions of Haitian migrants
More than 12,000 Haitian migrants have been camped under a bridge in Texas after wading across Rio Grande from Mexico.
By Jihan Abdalla
20 Sep 2021
Washington, DC – Rights groups in the United States have blasted the Biden administration for its planned expulsion of some 12,000 mostly Haitian migrants and asylum seekers who have been camped under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, after wading across the Rio Grande River from Mexico.
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Monday that 6,500 migrants and asylum seekers have been taken into custody in advance of processing and removal from the US. On Sunday, the first flights carrying migrants landed in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.
“It’s completely unconscionable,” Steven Forester, immigration policy coordinator at the US-based Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, told Al Jazeera. “There’s no way Haiti can handle the people that are in Haiti now given the conditions there. It can’t provide for these people.”
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
More than 12,000 Haitian migrants have been camped under a bridge in Texas after wading across Rio Grande from Mexico.
More than 320 Haitian migrants and asylum seekers reportedly landed in the capital Port-au-Prince on Sunday on three deportation flights from the United States
[Eric Gay/AP Photo]
By Jihan Abdalla
20 Sep 2021
Washington, DC – Rights groups in the United States have blasted the Biden administration for its planned expulsion of some 12,000 mostly Haitian migrants and asylum seekers who have been camped under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, after wading across the Rio Grande River from Mexico.
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Monday that 6,500 migrants and asylum seekers have been taken into custody in advance of processing and removal from the US. On Sunday, the first flights carrying migrants landed in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.
“It’s completely unconscionable,” Steven Forester, immigration policy coordinator at the US-based Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, told Al Jazeera. “There’s no way Haiti can handle the people that are in Haiti now given the conditions there. It can’t provide for these people.”
The US in May acknowledged the potential dangers Haitian migrants could face if they are deported back to their country
[Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters]
Images during the weekend showed hundreds of Haitian migrants trudging waist-deep across the Rio Grande while carrying their belongings over their heads to reach the US, heaping pressure on the Biden administration to rethink its immigration policies.
DHS said the vast majority of the migrants will be expelled under Title 42, a Trump-era health order that cites the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to quickly expel people seeking asylum at the US border.
“If you come to the United States illegally, you will be returned,” Mayorkas said during a news conference in Del Rio on Monday, adding that the US would conduct up to three deportation flights a day. “Your journey will not succeed and you will be endangering your life and your family’s lives.”
Rights groups for months have blasted Title 42 as inhumane, not based on science, and a violation of the US’s own immigration laws – and they have been calling on US President Joe Biden to reverse the policy since he took office in January.
“They should stop deportations,” said Alix Desulme, who is Haitian and serves on city council in the city of North Miami, home to a large Haitian community. “It’s been a cry way before this happened,” Desulme told Al Jazeera, referring to the planned expulsions from the Texas-Mexico border encampment, “and Title 42 needs to be repealed.”
Political, humanitarian crises
The expulsions could not come at a worse time for Haiti.
Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July, thrusting a country already grappling with political turmoil into deeper uncertainty. A month later, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck, killing over 2,000 people and devastating the southern region of the small Caribbean island.
Even before those events, the US had acknowledged the potential dangers Haitian migrants could face if they are deported back to their country.
On May 22, the Biden administration announced an 18-month Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, shielding them from deportations. But the measure only applies to those in the US before July 29.
Images during the weekend showed hundreds of Haitian migrants trudging waist-deep across the Rio Grande while carrying their belongings over their heads to reach the US, heaping pressure on the Biden administration to rethink its immigration policies.
DHS said the vast majority of the migrants will be expelled under Title 42, a Trump-era health order that cites the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to quickly expel people seeking asylum at the US border.
“If you come to the United States illegally, you will be returned,” Mayorkas said during a news conference in Del Rio on Monday, adding that the US would conduct up to three deportation flights a day. “Your journey will not succeed and you will be endangering your life and your family’s lives.”
Rights groups for months have blasted Title 42 as inhumane, not based on science, and a violation of the US’s own immigration laws – and they have been calling on US President Joe Biden to reverse the policy since he took office in January.
“They should stop deportations,” said Alix Desulme, who is Haitian and serves on city council in the city of North Miami, home to a large Haitian community. “It’s been a cry way before this happened,” Desulme told Al Jazeera, referring to the planned expulsions from the Texas-Mexico border encampment, “and Title 42 needs to be repealed.”
Political, humanitarian crises
The expulsions could not come at a worse time for Haiti.
Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July, thrusting a country already grappling with political turmoil into deeper uncertainty. A month later, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck, killing over 2,000 people and devastating the southern region of the small Caribbean island.
Even before those events, the US had acknowledged the potential dangers Haitian migrants could face if they are deported back to their country.
On May 22, the Biden administration announced an 18-month Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, shielding them from deportations. But the measure only applies to those in the US before July 29.
Many Haitian migrants have been returning to Mexico in fear of deportation from the US [Felix Marquez/AP Photo]
“Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayorkas said in a statement at the time.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Saturday that he was “very concerned by the extremely difficult conditions” Haitians were living through at the US-Mexico border, but said Haiti would support them upon their return to the country.
During a news briefing on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki also said the US government has a “range of programme options as well as financial support in place” that would assist Haitian nationals as well as the Haitian authorities, without specifying further.
‘Nothing to go back to’
Nicole Phillips, legal director at the Haitian Bridge Alliance, another US-based support and advocacy group, said the situation in Haiti has grown worse since the TPS designation.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the south of the country are still without housing and have little access to drinking water after the most recent earthquake, Phillips explained.
The political situation also has grown more volatile with gangs in control of key areas and the country’s top prosecutor – who has since been sacked – last week asking the judge investigating Moise’s killing to charge Henry, the prime minister, for alleged involvement in the assassination.
“Many of these migrants at the border, their family members died in the earthquake and others their houses collapsed,” Phillips told Al Jazeera, “so there’s actually nothing for them to go back to. There’s no one to even pick them up at the airport.”
“Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayorkas said in a statement at the time.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Saturday that he was “very concerned by the extremely difficult conditions” Haitians were living through at the US-Mexico border, but said Haiti would support them upon their return to the country.
During a news briefing on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki also said the US government has a “range of programme options as well as financial support in place” that would assist Haitian nationals as well as the Haitian authorities, without specifying further.
‘Nothing to go back to’
Nicole Phillips, legal director at the Haitian Bridge Alliance, another US-based support and advocacy group, said the situation in Haiti has grown worse since the TPS designation.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the south of the country are still without housing and have little access to drinking water after the most recent earthquake, Phillips explained.
The political situation also has grown more volatile with gangs in control of key areas and the country’s top prosecutor – who has since been sacked – last week asking the judge investigating Moise’s killing to charge Henry, the prime minister, for alleged involvement in the assassination.
“Many of these migrants at the border, their family members died in the earthquake and others their houses collapsed,” Phillips told Al Jazeera, “so there’s actually nothing for them to go back to. There’s no one to even pick them up at the airport.”
Some Haitian migrants used a dam to cross into the United States from Mexico, on September 18
[Eric Gay/AP Photo]
She added that many fled Haiti years ago and have been living in South America or waiting in Mexico for months or even years for an opportunity to claim asylum in the US.
Immigration at the US-Mexico border has been a major political challenge for the Biden administration.
Last month, more than 200,000 mostly Central American migrants and asylum seekers crossed into the US. The vast majority were expelled back to Mexico under Title 42, but top Republican leaders accuse Biden of not doing enough to stop people from coming.
Meanwhile, the thousands of Haitians who remain camped under the bridge are suffering in a scorching heat, with little access to food, water and sanitation, immigration advocates say. Many others, fearing deportation, have been returning to Mexico.
“The whole message is deterrence,” Forester said. “The idea that you sacrifice human beings to send a message is obscene and it won’t work.”
She added that many fled Haiti years ago and have been living in South America or waiting in Mexico for months or even years for an opportunity to claim asylum in the US.
Immigration at the US-Mexico border has been a major political challenge for the Biden administration.
Last month, more than 200,000 mostly Central American migrants and asylum seekers crossed into the US. The vast majority were expelled back to Mexico under Title 42, but top Republican leaders accuse Biden of not doing enough to stop people from coming.
Meanwhile, the thousands of Haitians who remain camped under the bridge are suffering in a scorching heat, with little access to food, water and sanitation, immigration advocates say. Many others, fearing deportation, have been returning to Mexico.
“The whole message is deterrence,” Forester said. “The idea that you sacrifice human beings to send a message is obscene and it won’t work.”
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
UN Officials 'Disturbed' by US Mass Expulsion of Haitian Asylum-Seekers
"Anyone who... claims to have a well-founded fear of being persecuted in their country of origin, they should have access to asylum and to have their claim assessed before being subjected to expulsion or deportation."
People gather on August 17, 2021 after spending the night outside in Les Cayes, Haiti as heavy rain brought by tropical storm Grace hit just after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the region, killing at least 1,400 people.
"Anyone who... claims to have a well-founded fear of being persecuted in their country of origin, they should have access to asylum and to have their claim assessed before being subjected to expulsion or deportation."
People gather on August 17, 2021 after spending the night outside in Les Cayes, Haiti as heavy rain brought by tropical storm Grace hit just after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the region, killing at least 1,400 people.
(Photo: Reginald Louissant Jr./AFP viaGetty Images)
BRETT WILKINS
BRETT WILKINS
COMMON DREAMS
September 21, 2021
As the Biden administration continues deporting thousands of Haitian asylum-seekers, United Nations refugee and human rights officials Tuesday called on the U.S. to respect the legal right of people fleeing violence and natural disasters to seek asylum in the United States
As the Biden administration continues deporting thousands of Haitian asylum-seekers, United Nations refugee and human rights officials Tuesday called on the U.S. to respect the legal right of people fleeing violence and natural disasters to seek asylum in the United States
"No matter who you are, regardless of your migration status, everyone has the same rights, and... the right to have the same protection."
—Marta Hurtado, OHCHR
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is in the process of deporting an estimated 14,000 Haitians under what critics claim is the pretext of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Biden administration is invoking Title 42, a section of the Public Health Service Act first used during the tenure of former President Donald Trump in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic to expedite the removal of asylum-seekers before their cases are processed.
Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to Title 42 expulsions. The Biden administration is appealing the order, set to take effect 14 days from the judge's ruling, while ramping up removal flights. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday called Title 42 a way to "protect the American public" and "the migrants themselves" from Covid-19.
Many of the asylum-seeking Haitians are encamped under a bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border near Del Rio, Texas. Accounts and images of the camp's squalid conditions, as well as photos and videos of mounted U.S. Border Patrol agents menacing Haitians with horse reins as whips, have sparked widespread alarm and calls to respect migrants' human and legal rights.
"We are disturbed by the images that we have seen and by the fact that we've seen all these migrants and refugees and asylum-seekers in transport to Port-au-Prince," said Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at a Tuesday press briefing in Geneva.
"We are seriously concerned by the fact that it appears that there have not been any individual assessments of the cases ... and that therefore maybe some of these people have not received the protection that they needed," Hurtado added. "What we always repeat is no matter who you are, regardless of your migration status, everyone has the same rights, and... the right to have the same protection."
Shabia Mantoo, the spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said at the briefing that "while some people arriving at the border may not be refugees, anyone who... claims to have a well-founded fear of being persecuted in their country of origin, they should have access to asylum and to have their claim assessed before being subjected to expulsion or deportation."
"We have been calling for an end to these Title 42 public health-related asylum restrictions for quite some time," she added, "and to ensure access to asylum for those who lives really depend on it."
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Expelled from US, Haitian migrants return to a country wracked with poverty, crime
Issued on: 22/09/2021 -
—Marta Hurtado, OHCHR
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is in the process of deporting an estimated 14,000 Haitians under what critics claim is the pretext of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Biden administration is invoking Title 42, a section of the Public Health Service Act first used during the tenure of former President Donald Trump in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic to expedite the removal of asylum-seekers before their cases are processed.
Last week, a federal judge ordered an end to Title 42 expulsions. The Biden administration is appealing the order, set to take effect 14 days from the judge's ruling, while ramping up removal flights. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday called Title 42 a way to "protect the American public" and "the migrants themselves" from Covid-19.
Many of the asylum-seeking Haitians are encamped under a bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border near Del Rio, Texas. Accounts and images of the camp's squalid conditions, as well as photos and videos of mounted U.S. Border Patrol agents menacing Haitians with horse reins as whips, have sparked widespread alarm and calls to respect migrants' human and legal rights.
"We are disturbed by the images that we have seen and by the fact that we've seen all these migrants and refugees and asylum-seekers in transport to Port-au-Prince," said Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at a Tuesday press briefing in Geneva.
"We are seriously concerned by the fact that it appears that there have not been any individual assessments of the cases ... and that therefore maybe some of these people have not received the protection that they needed," Hurtado added. "What we always repeat is no matter who you are, regardless of your migration status, everyone has the same rights, and... the right to have the same protection."
Shabia Mantoo, the spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said at the briefing that "while some people arriving at the border may not be refugees, anyone who... claims to have a well-founded fear of being persecuted in their country of origin, they should have access to asylum and to have their claim assessed before being subjected to expulsion or deportation."
"We have been calling for an end to these Title 42 public health-related asylum restrictions for quite some time," she added, "and to ensure access to asylum for those who lives really depend on it."
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Expelled from US, Haitian migrants return to a country wracked with poverty, crime
Issued on: 22/09/2021 -
Migrants cross the Rio Grande river near the US-Mexico border on September 20, 2021 PAUL RATJE AFP/File
Port-au-Prince (AFP)
First, they fled to Latin America in hopes of a better life. When that failed, they set off for the United States. Now, expelled by the hundreds from American soil, young Haitians are forced to return to their impoverished homeland that has no means of welcoming them.
Deported to Haiti with his wife and two-year-old son, Belton has no idea how he will feed his family there. The young man, who asked his real name be withheld out of fear for his safety, is deeply scarred by his three-month-long journey across the American continent.
"We crossed nine countries. We saw a lot of dead people, bodies. We slept in the jungle. And now it's over," Belton said.
Many of the migrants left Haiti years ago. Some of them traveled to Brazil, which was looking for cheap labor at the World Cup in 2014. From there, they headed to Chile, which was experiencing an economic upturn. But in 2018, Chile shut its doors to migrants, and the Haitians set off for the United States.
"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 the clothes on their backs," said Haitian economist Etzer Emile.
- 'No work here' -
As thousands of mostly Haitian migrants crammed under a bridge in the town of Del Rio on the US-Mexico border, the Biden administration sped up deportation proceedings, sending the migrants home without giving them a chance to apply for asylum.
Port-au-Prince (AFP)
First, they fled to Latin America in hopes of a better life. When that failed, they set off for the United States. Now, expelled by the hundreds from American soil, young Haitians are forced to return to their impoverished homeland that has no means of welcoming them.
Deported to Haiti with his wife and two-year-old son, Belton has no idea how he will feed his family there. The young man, who asked his real name be withheld out of fear for his safety, is deeply scarred by his three-month-long journey across the American continent.
"We crossed nine countries. We saw a lot of dead people, bodies. We slept in the jungle. And now it's over," Belton said.
Many of the migrants left Haiti years ago. Some of them traveled to Brazil, which was looking for cheap labor at the World Cup in 2014. From there, they headed to Chile, which was experiencing an economic upturn. But in 2018, Chile shut its doors to migrants, and the Haitians set off for the United States.
"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 the clothes on their backs," said Haitian economist Etzer Emile.
- 'No work here' -
As thousands of mostly Haitian migrants crammed under a bridge in the town of Del Rio on the US-Mexico border, the Biden administration sped up deportation proceedings, sending the migrants home without giving them a chance to apply for asylum.
A recently deported migrant arrives in Port-au-Prince on September 19, 2021
Richard Pierrin AFP/File
"We know we were a problem because it was really starting to get crowded under the bridge. But to send us back here, to do what?" asked Raphael, 32, who was deported to the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Sunday.
"When I was in Chile, I was able to send some money for my family," he added.
The migrant diaspora in Latin America had become a lifeline for their loved ones back in Haiti. Last year, private remittances from Chile totaled $134 million.
"There is no work here, there is nothing for us to do," said Raphael.
For now, each person deported from Texas received a payment of 10,000 gourdes ($100) from the US government, half of which was paid via a mobile app to prevent the arrivals from being targeted by thieves in Haiti.
Amoce Auguste, lawyer and deputy director of the Office of Citizen Protection, says the government does not help the repatriates, leaving people who haven't lived there for many years on their own.
"Once people leave the airport with a small lump sum, it's over," Auguste said.
They also must reintegrate into Haitian society, no small feat for people who have been gone for "five, seven or 10 years," he added.
- 'All Haitians would like to flee' -
Having once left their country because they couldn't find work, they must now return to a place where the economy is in free fall.
"We know we were a problem because it was really starting to get crowded under the bridge. But to send us back here, to do what?" asked Raphael, 32, who was deported to the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Sunday.
"When I was in Chile, I was able to send some money for my family," he added.
The migrant diaspora in Latin America had become a lifeline for their loved ones back in Haiti. Last year, private remittances from Chile totaled $134 million.
"There is no work here, there is nothing for us to do," said Raphael.
For now, each person deported from Texas received a payment of 10,000 gourdes ($100) from the US government, half of which was paid via a mobile app to prevent the arrivals from being targeted by thieves in Haiti.
Amoce Auguste, lawyer and deputy director of the Office of Citizen Protection, says the government does not help the repatriates, leaving people who haven't lived there for many years on their own.
"Once people leave the airport with a small lump sum, it's over," Auguste said.
They also must reintegrate into Haitian society, no small feat for people who have been gone for "five, seven or 10 years," he added.
- 'All Haitians would like to flee' -
Having once left their country because they couldn't find work, they must now return to a place where the economy is in free fall.
Deported Haitian migrants arrive at the Port-au-Prince airport on September 19, 2021 Richard Pierrin AFP/File
"What we are experiencing is an unprecedented situation: we will see negative economic growth for a third consecutive year," said Emile, the economist.
And if economic hardship were not enough, Haiti is also plagued by gang violence.
"They come at a time when all Haitians would like to flee the insecurity of gangs," said Auguste.
Over the past year, the armed gangs that ruled the shantytowns in the capital have extended their hold across the country.
And the country continues to be mired in deep political turmoil after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise by a hit squad in July.
Dozens of people have been arrested, but the identity of those who orchestrated the crime remains a mystery. Prime Minister Ariel Henry has dismissed suspicions raised against him, and he fired the prosecutor who wanted to charge him in the crime.
Haiti has neither the experience nor the logistics to manage so many incoming migrants, Emile warned.
"But the worst thing is that this is not the authorities' priority," he said.
© 2021 AFP
'We're desperate': Haitian migrants' hopes fade at US border
Issued on: 22/09/2021 -
"What we are experiencing is an unprecedented situation: we will see negative economic growth for a third consecutive year," said Emile, the economist.
And if economic hardship were not enough, Haiti is also plagued by gang violence.
"They come at a time when all Haitians would like to flee the insecurity of gangs," said Auguste.
Over the past year, the armed gangs that ruled the shantytowns in the capital have extended their hold across the country.
And the country continues to be mired in deep political turmoil after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise by a hit squad in July.
Dozens of people have been arrested, but the identity of those who orchestrated the crime remains a mystery. Prime Minister Ariel Henry has dismissed suspicions raised against him, and he fired the prosecutor who wanted to charge him in the crime.
Haiti has neither the experience nor the logistics to manage so many incoming migrants, Emile warned.
"But the worst thing is that this is not the authorities' priority," he said.
© 2021 AFP
'We're desperate': Haitian migrants' hopes fade at US border
Issued on: 22/09/2021 -
Haitian migrants stranded at the US border cross the Rio Grande river to get food and water in Mexico
PEDRO PARDO AFP
Ciudad Acuña (Mexico) (AFP)
Clinging to ropes, some carrying children on their shoulders, Haitian migrants stranded at the US border cross the Rio Grande back into Mexico in search of food, water or medical treatment.
With US authorities deporting planeloads of Haitians back to their crisis-wracked country from Texas, the migrants' fears that their long and treacherous journey was in vain are mounting.
"We're desperate," said 28-year-old Maximil Marcadieu, who spent nearly two months traveling from Chile where he was living, only to find himself stuck with thousands of others in a dusty camp under a bridge.
"Many people dream of going to the United States and now they're deporting everyone," he said.
The United Nations said Tuesday that it was "seriously concerned" about the mass US deportations of Haitian migrants, warning that people with genuine asylum claims may be in danger.
The migrants also risk being picked up by the Mexican authorities when they venture into Ciudad Acuna across the border from Del Rio, Texas.
But many take the chance to look for somewhere to rest, something to eat or treatment for their medical ailments.
Tens of thousands of undocumented migrants, mostly Haitians, have arrived in recent months in southern Mexico, heading north in search of a new life in the United States.
Those who manage to cross Mexico without being detained find only disappointment at the US border.
Ciudad Acuña (Mexico) (AFP)
Clinging to ropes, some carrying children on their shoulders, Haitian migrants stranded at the US border cross the Rio Grande back into Mexico in search of food, water or medical treatment.
With US authorities deporting planeloads of Haitians back to their crisis-wracked country from Texas, the migrants' fears that their long and treacherous journey was in vain are mounting.
"We're desperate," said 28-year-old Maximil Marcadieu, who spent nearly two months traveling from Chile where he was living, only to find himself stuck with thousands of others in a dusty camp under a bridge.
"Many people dream of going to the United States and now they're deporting everyone," he said.
The United Nations said Tuesday that it was "seriously concerned" about the mass US deportations of Haitian migrants, warning that people with genuine asylum claims may be in danger.
The migrants also risk being picked up by the Mexican authorities when they venture into Ciudad Acuna across the border from Del Rio, Texas.
But many take the chance to look for somewhere to rest, something to eat or treatment for their medical ailments.
Tens of thousands of undocumented migrants, mostly Haitians, have arrived in recent months in southern Mexico, heading north in search of a new life in the United States.
Those who manage to cross Mexico without being detained find only disappointment at the US border.
Migrants cross the Rio Grande holding onto ropes so they won't be swept away
PEDRO PARDO AFP
The Haitians have been mistakenly told that they will be able to stay in the United States as refugees under "temporary protected status" (TPS), US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday.
TPS has been in place for years for Haitians who were stuck in the United States after the massive earthquake of 2010.
After political turmoil sparked by the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, the United States extended TPS for Haitians who were in the country on or before July 29.
- 'Want to live together' -
Marcadieu said that he left Chile with his wife and two-year-old daughter and traveled through Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico.
The Haitians have been mistakenly told that they will be able to stay in the United States as refugees under "temporary protected status" (TPS), US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday.
TPS has been in place for years for Haitians who were stuck in the United States after the massive earthquake of 2010.
After political turmoil sparked by the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, the United States extended TPS for Haitians who were in the country on or before July 29.
- 'Want to live together' -
Marcadieu said that he left Chile with his wife and two-year-old daughter and traveled through Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico.
The migrants cross to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande to look for somewhere to rest, buy food or seek medical treatment
PEDRO PARDO AFP
The journey included a four-day trek through the lawless jungle of the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia that has claimed the lives of some migrants.
After coming so far, the risk of being deported by the United States is not enough to deter Marcadieu from trying to cross the last border in his way.
"I have family there in the United States, and Haitians always want to live together -- that's why I left Chile," he told AFP while visiting Ciudad Acuna to look for food.
Volunteers from organizations including medical aid group Doctors Without Borders offer assistance at a park next to the Rio Grande, where several dozen immigrants have set up another camp.
People also arrive in cars and trucks to sell food, water or soft drinks to the migrants.
US authorities pledged to investigate reports that Haitians may have been abused by border patrol officers on horseback while crossing the Rio Grande river to look for something to eat.
Pictures and video footage that spread quickly over social media appeared to show riders swinging their long reins to threaten migrants and push them back toward the river.
The journey included a four-day trek through the lawless jungle of the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia that has claimed the lives of some migrants.
After coming so far, the risk of being deported by the United States is not enough to deter Marcadieu from trying to cross the last border in his way.
"I have family there in the United States, and Haitians always want to live together -- that's why I left Chile," he told AFP while visiting Ciudad Acuna to look for food.
Volunteers from organizations including medical aid group Doctors Without Borders offer assistance at a park next to the Rio Grande, where several dozen immigrants have set up another camp.
People also arrive in cars and trucks to sell food, water or soft drinks to the migrants.
US authorities pledged to investigate reports that Haitians may have been abused by border patrol officers on horseback while crossing the Rio Grande river to look for something to eat.
Pictures and video footage that spread quickly over social media appeared to show riders swinging their long reins to threaten migrants and push them back toward the river.
Many of the Haitians at the border were previously living in Chile or Brazil and have traveled overland from South America
PEDRO PARDO AFP
The Haitians, some carrying food on their heads, cross the Rio Grande holding onto ropes that allow them to wade through apparently calm waters that can sometimes hide strong currents.
When the water level rises, border agents close the river crossing.
Elvinson Saintil, 16, traveled from Chile with his parents and three siblings but is nervous about what fate awaits them.
"They say they're also deporting families and pregnant women," he said. "We are afraid."
© 2021 AFP
Haitian migrants' tortuous journey ends in Mexico limbo
Issued on: 22/09/2021 -
The Haitians, some carrying food on their heads, cross the Rio Grande holding onto ropes that allow them to wade through apparently calm waters that can sometimes hide strong currents.
When the water level rises, border agents close the river crossing.
Elvinson Saintil, 16, traveled from Chile with his parents and three siblings but is nervous about what fate awaits them.
"They say they're also deporting families and pregnant women," he said. "We are afraid."
© 2021 AFP
Haitian migrants' tortuous journey ends in Mexico limbo
Issued on: 22/09/2021 -
Murat "Dodo" Tilus set off from Chile with his wife, daughter and two grandchildren on August 8, 2021
CLAUDIO CRUZ AFP
Tapachula (Mexico) (AFP)
After weeks on the road, traversing mountains and jungles, risking assault and drowning, thousands of Haitian migrants hoping to reach the United States have instead found themselves stranded in Mexico.
Many embarked on the journey encouraged by family and friends already living the American dream -- but who often failed to mention the dangers that lay in wait.
Tens of thousands of migrants, including many Haitians previously living in South America, are stuck in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula, waiting for documents
Those who tire of waiting or run out of money try crossing Mexico anyway, hoping not to be caught by the authorities and deported to Guatemala.
But when they reach the border with the United States, they find themselves trapped again.
Thousands of migrants, many of them Haitians, are now crowded under a bridge in Texas after crossing the Rio Grande river, hoping to be allowed into the country.
Despite the hardships, migrants keep pouring into southern Mexico from Guatemala.
- Fleeing quake fallout -
Every night, Murat "Dodo" Tilus wakes with an excruciating pain in his arm -- the result of a fall on a Colombian mountain on his way to the United States, where he hopes to join his brother.
Tapachula (Mexico) (AFP)
After weeks on the road, traversing mountains and jungles, risking assault and drowning, thousands of Haitian migrants hoping to reach the United States have instead found themselves stranded in Mexico.
Many embarked on the journey encouraged by family and friends already living the American dream -- but who often failed to mention the dangers that lay in wait.
Tens of thousands of migrants, including many Haitians previously living in South America, are stuck in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula, waiting for documents
Those who tire of waiting or run out of money try crossing Mexico anyway, hoping not to be caught by the authorities and deported to Guatemala.
But when they reach the border with the United States, they find themselves trapped again.
Thousands of migrants, many of them Haitians, are now crowded under a bridge in Texas after crossing the Rio Grande river, hoping to be allowed into the country.
Despite the hardships, migrants keep pouring into southern Mexico from Guatemala.
- Fleeing quake fallout -
Every night, Murat "Dodo" Tilus wakes with an excruciating pain in his arm -- the result of a fall on a Colombian mountain on his way to the United States, where he hopes to join his brother.
Haitian migrant Judith Joseph and her children spent two months traveling overland between Chile and Mexico
CLAUDIO CRUZ AFP
He set off from Chile with his wife, daughter and two grandchildren on August 8, leaving a country that had welcomed him following the 2010 earthquake that left 200,000 dead in Haiti.
"My house collapsed (in the quake), my relatives died, then I decided with my wife to go to another country," the 49-year-old electrician told AFP.
But the "Chilean dream" began to fade in 2018 when the government imposed measures making life harder for migrants.
These days in Chile, "it's very difficult to get a work permit. Everything became more expensive, so people want to leave to look for a better life", he said.
He and his wife Rose Marie raised about $5,000 for the journey, setting off by bus.
After a month-long odyssey crossing 10 countries, they arrived in Tapachula.
Now, they sleep in a room in a home that they share with four other Haitian families, while they wait for an appointment to process their refugee claim.
He set off from Chile with his wife, daughter and two grandchildren on August 8, leaving a country that had welcomed him following the 2010 earthquake that left 200,000 dead in Haiti.
"My house collapsed (in the quake), my relatives died, then I decided with my wife to go to another country," the 49-year-old electrician told AFP.
But the "Chilean dream" began to fade in 2018 when the government imposed measures making life harder for migrants.
These days in Chile, "it's very difficult to get a work permit. Everything became more expensive, so people want to leave to look for a better life", he said.
He and his wife Rose Marie raised about $5,000 for the journey, setting off by bus.
After a month-long odyssey crossing 10 countries, they arrived in Tapachula.
Now, they sleep in a room in a home that they share with four other Haitian families, while they wait for an appointment to process their refugee claim.
Haitian and Central American migrants march to the immigration offices in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula to demand documents
CLAUDIO CRUZ AFP/File
It is only thanks to money sent by Tilus's brother that they are not sleeping in the streets like some migrants.
The Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance is struggling with a backlog of requests for documents.
So far this year, it has arranged about 77,559 permits for migrants, compared with 70,400 for all of 2019.
Hundreds of migrants tried to cross Mexico on foot this month in caravans but were blocked by the Mexican authorities.
"I want to continue (to the United States) legally," Tilus said.
- Perilous journey -
Judith Joseph fled to Chile from Haiti in 2017 after one of her three children was murdered.
Despite suffering from ailments including diabetes and difficulty walking, the 43-year-old set off on July 10 and arrived in Tapachula nearly two months later with her other two children, Samuel and Cristelle.
The worst part of the journey was crossing the Darien Gap, an area of jungle between Colombia and Panama infested with armed gangs and drug traffickers.
It is only thanks to money sent by Tilus's brother that they are not sleeping in the streets like some migrants.
The Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance is struggling with a backlog of requests for documents.
So far this year, it has arranged about 77,559 permits for migrants, compared with 70,400 for all of 2019.
Hundreds of migrants tried to cross Mexico on foot this month in caravans but were blocked by the Mexican authorities.
"I want to continue (to the United States) legally," Tilus said.
- Perilous journey -
Judith Joseph fled to Chile from Haiti in 2017 after one of her three children was murdered.
Despite suffering from ailments including diabetes and difficulty walking, the 43-year-old set off on July 10 and arrived in Tapachula nearly two months later with her other two children, Samuel and Cristelle.
The worst part of the journey was crossing the Darien Gap, an area of jungle between Colombia and Panama infested with armed gangs and drug traffickers.
Migrants, mostly from Haiti, gather at a makeshift encampment under the International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas on the border with Mexico
Jordan Vonderhaar GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
They saw some migrants drown, while others lost their few belongings.
Life in Haiti, where his mother worked in a market, was equally difficult, said 11-year-old Samuel.
"There were mice in the kitchen at night. During the day there were always Haitian soldiers shooting outside the house," he said.
Now they share a room with others on the outskirts of Tapachula, while they wait for refugee status to continue a journey that Samuel wishes they had never begun.
"I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay in Chile," he said.
© 2021 AFP
They saw some migrants drown, while others lost their few belongings.
Life in Haiti, where his mother worked in a market, was equally difficult, said 11-year-old Samuel.
"There were mice in the kitchen at night. During the day there were always Haitian soldiers shooting outside the house," he said.
Now they share a room with others on the outskirts of Tapachula, while they wait for refugee status to continue a journey that Samuel wishes they had never begun.
"I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay in Chile," he said.
© 2021 AFP
Migrants in Texas: US probes horseback charge on Haiti migrants
Published1 day ago
Images which appear to show border agents on horseback driving migrants back to a river like cattle have sparked an investigation in the US.
The pictures widely shared on social media show the riders using their reins against the migrants and pushing them back towards the Rio Grande in Texas.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says his department will investigate reports of alleged abuse.
He said the officers were trying to manage the migrants crossing the river.
Some 13,000 mainly Haitian migrants have gathered in a makeshift camp under a bridge connecting Del Rio to Mexico's Ciudad Acuña on the US-Mexico border.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the footage was horrible to watch.
"I have seen some of the footage. I don't have the full context. I can't imagine what context would make that appropriate. But I don't have additional details and certainly I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate."
Some social media users said the pictures were reminiscent of the violence seen in slavery times in the US.
The pictures taken by AFP photographer Paul Ratje show Haitians going back and forth across the border to get food for their families, and finding themselves blocked by the horses.
"Some of the migrants started running to try to get around the horsemen, and one of the agents grabbed the Haitian in the picture by the shirt and he ended up swinging him around while the horse trotted in a circle," he said of a couple of particular photographs.
Ratje says he does not think the man was hurt; shortly after that, he said they "kind of calmed down, and they started letting people in".
US Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz said the incident was being investigated to make sure there was not an "unacceptable" response by his officers, adding they operated in a difficult environment, trying to distinguish migrants from smugglers.
I
Published1 day ago
Images which appear to show border agents on horseback driving migrants back to a river like cattle have sparked an investigation in the US.
The pictures widely shared on social media show the riders using their reins against the migrants and pushing them back towards the Rio Grande in Texas.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says his department will investigate reports of alleged abuse.
He said the officers were trying to manage the migrants crossing the river.
Some 13,000 mainly Haitian migrants have gathered in a makeshift camp under a bridge connecting Del Rio to Mexico's Ciudad Acuña on the US-Mexico border.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the footage was horrible to watch.
"I have seen some of the footage. I don't have the full context. I can't imagine what context would make that appropriate. But I don't have additional details and certainly I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate."
Some social media users said the pictures were reminiscent of the violence seen in slavery times in the US.
The pictures taken by AFP photographer Paul Ratje show Haitians going back and forth across the border to get food for their families, and finding themselves blocked by the horses.
"Some of the migrants started running to try to get around the horsemen, and one of the agents grabbed the Haitian in the picture by the shirt and he ended up swinging him around while the horse trotted in a circle," he said of a couple of particular photographs.
Ratje says he does not think the man was hurt; shortly after that, he said they "kind of calmed down, and they started letting people in".
US Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz said the incident was being investigated to make sure there was not an "unacceptable" response by his officers, adding they operated in a difficult environment, trying to distinguish migrants from smugglers.
IUS Border Patrol agents on horseback have been trying to close off crossing points along the Rio Grande river
The UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR, has said it is monitoring US expulsions to Haiti, adding it was imperative that people fearing persecution had access to asylum, Reuters news agency reports.
The US government has reported a surge of migrants arriving at the border with Mexico this year.
The number of people detained there in July exceeded 200,000 for the first time in 21 years, according to government data.
The UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR, has said it is monitoring US expulsions to Haiti, adding it was imperative that people fearing persecution had access to asylum, Reuters news agency reports.
The US government has reported a surge of migrants arriving at the border with Mexico this year.
The number of people detained there in July exceeded 200,000 for the first time in 21 years, according to government data.
White House investigating ‘horrific' footage of border patrol agents confronting Haitian immigrants
Jason Hoffman, Priscilla Alvarez, Geneva Sands and Paul LeBlanc
CNNDigital
Published Monday, September 20, 2021
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the White House is seeking more information on the "horrific" viral videos that appear to show U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback confronting Haitian refugees at the U.S. border.
"I've seen some of the footage. I don't have the full context. I can't imagine what context would make that appropriate, but I don't have additional details, and certainly I don't have additional context," Psaki said at the White House press briefing. "I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate."
Videos taken by Al Jazeera and Reuters appear to show law enforcement officers on horseback using aggressive tactics when confronting migrants, including authorities swinging long reins near migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border near Del Rio, Texas.
Related Stories
U.S. officials defend expulsion of Haitians from Texas town
500 Haitians reported walking through Mexico toward U.S.
Reuters video shows the officers at the water's edge, twirling the long reins as migrants crossed the border at the US shoreline of the Rio Grande. At one point in the video, the officer's horse nearly charges into one of the migrants, who falls back and into the water.
In the Al Jazeera video, a law enforcement officer on horseback is seen swirling the long reins near a group of migrants. Shortly beforehand, another individual on horseback is heard yelling at the migrants, saying, "You use your women? This is why your country's sh*t, because you use your women for this."
Although the profanity is redacted in the video report, Al Jazeera English reporter John Holman published the full quote -- he attributed it to an unnamed Border Patrol agent -- on his Twitter.
Then, as the law enforcement officers attempt to corral the migrants, one of the officers appears to whirl the horse reins near one of the migrants.
The scene played out near a crowded makeshift encampment in Del Rio, where thousands of migrants -- including families, pregnant women and babies -- have gathered under the Del Rio International Bridge. They sleep in the dirt, surrounded by growing piles of garbage, exposed to the elements and without much food and water, in hopes of being processed by the overwhelmed US Border Patrol.
Pressed by reporters Monday for response to the footage, Psaki called it "horrible to watch."
"I can't imagine what the scenario is where that would be appropriate, I'm certainly not suggesting that, but we've just seen the footage earlier this morning," she said. Asked if the agents seen in the footage should be fired for their actions in dealing with migrants, Psaki said: "Of course they should never be able to do it again."
"I don't know what the circumstances would be. It's obviously horrific, the footage. I don't have any more information on it, so let me venture to do that and we'll see if there's more to convey," she added.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the use of horse patrols but said the department would investigate the situation. Speaking at a news conference near the border, Mayorkas said that, according to US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, long reins are used to ensure control of the horse.
"[B]ut we are going to investigate the facts to ensure that the situation is as we understand it to be, and if it's anything different we will respond accordingly," he said.
Speaking alongside Mayorkas, Ortiz said horse patrol units play an integral part in the security response in Del Rio. "As you know, we have about half of this area locked down, and we're working on trying to get the other side of the bridge completely locked down," he said.
Ortiz said he had asked that the horse patrol unit do an assessment on Sunday to find out if any individuals were in distress and to provide information and intelligence on the smuggling organization's activities in and around the river.
"As was witnessed in the video and some of the pictures, the migrants were going back-and-forth. We do not know who are the smugglers or who are the migrants, so it's important that those Border Patrol agents maintain a level of security for both themselves and for the migrant population," he said.
Ortiz, who said he has ridden horses for several years, also pointed to the difficulty of operating in a riverine environment on horseback.
Maintaining control of the horses "so we do not get in a position where we injure a migrant as they're trying to make that treacherous trek across that river is probably more important than anything," he said. "And I'm pretty sure and confident that that's exactly what was happening, but we will certainly look into the matter, to make sure that we do not have any activity that could be construed as a response to a law enforcement effort that is unacceptable."
When asked about whether whirling the long reins around migrants was a humane way to treat them, Mayorkas responded by saying, "You're assuming facts that have not yet been determined."
Many of the Haitians currently at the border are believed to have been living in South America after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, but the toll of the coronavirus pandemic on the region fueled migration to the US southern border.
Haiti is also still reeling from an earthquake in August that resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and thousands more injuries, as well as the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July. For those reasons, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers urged the Biden administration in a letter earlier this month to halt deportations to the country.
Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
Jason Hoffman, Priscilla Alvarez, Geneva Sands and Paul LeBlanc
CNNDigital
Published Monday, September 20, 2021
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the White House is seeking more information on the "horrific" viral videos that appear to show U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback confronting Haitian refugees at the U.S. border.
"I've seen some of the footage. I don't have the full context. I can't imagine what context would make that appropriate, but I don't have additional details, and certainly I don't have additional context," Psaki said at the White House press briefing. "I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate."
Videos taken by Al Jazeera and Reuters appear to show law enforcement officers on horseback using aggressive tactics when confronting migrants, including authorities swinging long reins near migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border near Del Rio, Texas.
Related Stories
U.S. officials defend expulsion of Haitians from Texas town
500 Haitians reported walking through Mexico toward U.S.
Reuters video shows the officers at the water's edge, twirling the long reins as migrants crossed the border at the US shoreline of the Rio Grande. At one point in the video, the officer's horse nearly charges into one of the migrants, who falls back and into the water.
In the Al Jazeera video, a law enforcement officer on horseback is seen swirling the long reins near a group of migrants. Shortly beforehand, another individual on horseback is heard yelling at the migrants, saying, "You use your women? This is why your country's sh*t, because you use your women for this."
Although the profanity is redacted in the video report, Al Jazeera English reporter John Holman published the full quote -- he attributed it to an unnamed Border Patrol agent -- on his Twitter.
Then, as the law enforcement officers attempt to corral the migrants, one of the officers appears to whirl the horse reins near one of the migrants.
The scene played out near a crowded makeshift encampment in Del Rio, where thousands of migrants -- including families, pregnant women and babies -- have gathered under the Del Rio International Bridge. They sleep in the dirt, surrounded by growing piles of garbage, exposed to the elements and without much food and water, in hopes of being processed by the overwhelmed US Border Patrol.
Pressed by reporters Monday for response to the footage, Psaki called it "horrible to watch."
"I can't imagine what the scenario is where that would be appropriate, I'm certainly not suggesting that, but we've just seen the footage earlier this morning," she said. Asked if the agents seen in the footage should be fired for their actions in dealing with migrants, Psaki said: "Of course they should never be able to do it again."
"I don't know what the circumstances would be. It's obviously horrific, the footage. I don't have any more information on it, so let me venture to do that and we'll see if there's more to convey," she added.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the use of horse patrols but said the department would investigate the situation. Speaking at a news conference near the border, Mayorkas said that, according to US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, long reins are used to ensure control of the horse.
"[B]ut we are going to investigate the facts to ensure that the situation is as we understand it to be, and if it's anything different we will respond accordingly," he said.
Speaking alongside Mayorkas, Ortiz said horse patrol units play an integral part in the security response in Del Rio. "As you know, we have about half of this area locked down, and we're working on trying to get the other side of the bridge completely locked down," he said.
Ortiz said he had asked that the horse patrol unit do an assessment on Sunday to find out if any individuals were in distress and to provide information and intelligence on the smuggling organization's activities in and around the river.
"As was witnessed in the video and some of the pictures, the migrants were going back-and-forth. We do not know who are the smugglers or who are the migrants, so it's important that those Border Patrol agents maintain a level of security for both themselves and for the migrant population," he said.
Ortiz, who said he has ridden horses for several years, also pointed to the difficulty of operating in a riverine environment on horseback.
Maintaining control of the horses "so we do not get in a position where we injure a migrant as they're trying to make that treacherous trek across that river is probably more important than anything," he said. "And I'm pretty sure and confident that that's exactly what was happening, but we will certainly look into the matter, to make sure that we do not have any activity that could be construed as a response to a law enforcement effort that is unacceptable."
When asked about whether whirling the long reins around migrants was a humane way to treat them, Mayorkas responded by saying, "You're assuming facts that have not yet been determined."
Many of the Haitians currently at the border are believed to have been living in South America after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, but the toll of the coronavirus pandemic on the region fueled migration to the US southern border.
Haiti is also still reeling from an earthquake in August that resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and thousands more injuries, as well as the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July. For those reasons, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers urged the Biden administration in a letter earlier this month to halt deportations to the country.
Migrants, many from Haiti, wade across the Rio Grande river from Del Rio, Texas, to return to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, to avoid deportation from the U.S. The U.S. is flying Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland and blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
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