Source: AFP
The migratory situation at the US-Mexico border is evidence of a world in conflict. The sheer number of people looking for refuge and asylum has collapsed the US migration system, resulting in record cases of undocumented entries. In July 2021, more than 200,000 migrants were arrested, including 19,000 unaccompanied minors. However, the issue of immigration is made more complex due to the myriad of related perspectives: on one side of the border are desperate people attempting to escape lives that condemn them to cycles of poverty and violence, while on the other, immigrants are viewed as criminals and obstacles to achieving the American Dream. Consumers of mass media are often fed dramatic images and stories narrating life at the border, exposing the squalid conditions at the detention centers due to lack of sanitation and infrastructure. However, this is only the beginning of the story, as a migrant’s journey stretches far beyond the borders of a newspaper cover. Many of the migrants seen in these pictures have spent years living outside their country, hopping from place to place in an attempt to find acceptance and build a prosperous life. Unfortunately, they are often met by closed doors, forcing them into a life of perpetual displacement. Arriving at the United States’ border is often the last stop in a years-long search for stability, and most of the 12,500 migrants currently sitting under the Del Rio Bridge near Texas are looking at their last hope.
Recently, the media has been inundated by reports of the migration crisis, specifically regarding Haitian immigration into the United States. Haiti has been overrun by catastrophes, each one worse than the last; from natural disasters to political crises, those at the border represent the few determined people that successfully completed the harrowing journey. This small island nation is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 59% of the population living under the poverty line ($2.41 USD) and 29% living under the extreme poverty line ($1.23 USD). In addition to the economic hardships suffered by the majority of Haitians, gang conflicts and violence permeate the streets, resulting in further instability. It is estimated that around 12,000 people were displaced due to gang violence in 2020, as criminal groups attempt to assert their presence in different parts of the island in order to strengthen their hold upon illicit businesses such as the drug and arms trade. Like many neighboring Caribbean nations, Haiti also lacks strong institutions to combat rising crime rates, as governments are infested with corruption and dynamics that cultivate power imbalances.
However, the level of insecurity and instability in Haiti reached a point of no return after Jovenel Moise, the winner of the 2017 presidential elections, was assassinated in the royal palace in Port-Au-Prince on July 7th, 2021. Often called the “Banana man” due to his previous job as a banana exporter, Moise was a controversial figure from the moment his campaign began. Many believed that he was specifically picked by his predecessor, Michel J. Martelly and was even accused of embezzlement during an examination of PetroCaribe funds provided by Venezuela. In the wake of the assassination, violence escalated. Over 17,000 people have been displaced and an additional 11,500 families have not been located but are thought to be caught in gang controlled zones or living with host families. Currently, the Haitian Prime Minister, who has taken the late president’s position, is a suspect in the plot, but he has cunningly silenced prosecutors that have tried to highlight the evidence linking him to Moise’s murder.
Not only are Haitians forced to live under volatile and dangerous political conditions, but they are also susceptible to devastating natural disasters, most notably the 2010 earthquake. The epicenter was near the Haitian capital, and it reached a magnitude of 7.0. Haiti, a country ravaged by poverty and insecurity, was not prepared for a disaster of such a scale, and over 300,000 buildings collapsed. Death toll estimates range from 40,000 to 50,000, but the Haitian government claims the number is closer to 300,000. Unfortunately, the earthquake was more than a natural disaster, it was the starting point for Haiti’s journey deeper into chaos. Because of that earthquake, around one million people were forced out of their homes, of which 33,000 are still living in displacement and an additional 300,000 live in informal settings that are not supervised or recognized by the government. As if this tragedy were not enough, Haiti’s location makes it a yearly victim of the Caribbean Hurricane season that begins on July 1st, leading to the greater destruction of homes and livelihoods. One of the most powerful storms this year was dubbed Storm Grace, and it made landfall in Haiti mere weeks after the country was struck by another earthquake that left 2,248 dead, 12763 injured, and more than 650,000 people in need of emergency humanitarian aid. Both of these disasters combined has led the UN to estimate that 40% of the population is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance as many lack access to medical supplies, food, and sanitary conditions.
Consumers of mass media and information are faced with a choice: they can look at the images of Haitian immigrants at the US border and call them illegal, alien, condemn them for attempting to find their way into the United States no matter the cost, or take a step back and realizes that those are people who have sacrificed everything to escape a country in shambles. Once they were not migrants, they were mothers and fathers living in fear given their uncertain future; they were brothers and sisters fighting to make a living when the odds were against their favor. What’s more, they are still mothers, fathers, and siblings, but their migratory status has confined them to a group afflicted with stereotypes, taboos, and controversies. Before arriving at conclusions regarding migratory policies and the management of immigration, it is vital to acknowledge each individual migrant’s humanity, their story, their motivation. It is unreasonable to say that empathy and compassion will resolve the issue, or alleviate the situation at the border— after all, migration numbers at the US-Mexico have reached a 21-year high— but understanding the complexity behind each migrant’s story will lend to a better understanding of the global situation which in turn strengthens the development of informed perspectives.
Written By: Carolina Mejia Rodriguez
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