“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” is carved into the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is a long-standing symbol of freedom. Immigration has long been an issue in the United States, with the U.S. being marketed as a place to come and procure the American Dream of opportunity. Meanwhile, that opportunity is often delayed and even more often denied.
Initially the Biden Administration promoted their progressive immigration policies, outlining specifically that the policies would be more humane. However, the Biden Administration is accelerating deportation efforts and dispatching federal agents to the U.S. border in Texas to address Haitian migrants who are at the border. They are relying on a law known as Title 42 to expel migrants back to their home country without granting them an opportunity to apply for asylum. Residual policies from the Trump Administration that said migrants that are coming from the southern border don’t qualify as refugees and are unprotected under asylum laws.
Many of the migrants have petitioned to be able to stay in the United States. Majority of the migrants are from Haiti, with others being from Cuba, Venezuela, and Honduras. Under the current health order, many migrants were immediately sent back to their home country with plans to continue this process of returning migrants to their home country. Images have surfaced showing border patrol chasing migrants on horseback pushing them back. Innocent people who are seeking refuge are being met with force, rather than with asylum.
Haiti was recently hit with a 7.2-magnitude earthquake and has been dealing with a period of political instability. Many migrants shared that they are afraid to return to Haiti. Migrants often seek asylum to gain access to safety and resources. It is harsh that the U.S. is turning away migrants with the only plan to send them back to instability. The Biden Administration should be held accountable for their promises about their stance on immigration. America has long sold a dream that we are a nation that celebrates diversity and the opportunity we afford migrants, but time and time again we come short.
Haitians, as a nation of people, have been struck with tragedy after tragedy. The assassination of their president and the devastating earthquake compounded an already deadly situation in Haiti. Many are fleeing because gang violence has been running rampant there for some time. By exercising some compassion for those during their times of need, we as a nation could be better allies. Instead, families are being turned away. Asylum seekers should be granted the opportunity to present their arguments and granted a place free from security concerns, poverty and lack of resources.
At SisterLove ,Inc we fight to protect the liberties and safety of those in our communities. The people who are seeking refuge within our borders are people first, they have families they are caring for, they want to keep them safe and they deserve that opportunity. We support the progression of policies and legislation that will provide migrants with a safe opportunity to enter our country and provide them with accessible paths to citizenship.
All Black Lives Matter, including Black migrants. We cannot be complicit in the racist, xenophobic policies of Trump’s Administration.
SisterLove, Inc is the oldest woman-led Reproductive Justice and Sexual Health organization of its kind in the Southeastern United States. Our work is vital to the communities we serve here in Atlanta, and abroad in our South Africa location. For 32 years, we've been able to offer life-saving services including HIV/STI testing and screening, community-based research and public policy development, and educational outreach programs that center the most marginalized. But we could not do any of this without the support of people like you. Your donations allow us to continue to save lives and protect the rights and dignity of the communities we serve. Help us to protect women and girls and become a monthly supporter today