Don’t Hate Haiti

I guess you could say I have a soft spot in my heart for Haiti. One of my best friends is Haitian, and happens to share my last name of Roy, and my boyfriend Jude was born and lived part of his life in Haiti and emmigrated to the US when he was ten.

Speaking of immigrants, what’s the beef with Haitians anyway? Why do Cuban immigrants have such an easy time entering the country while Haitian immigrants are turned away and sent back? It is an exceptionally awkward time for immigrants as Congress will soon debate on immigration reform. The questions will include whether the 11 million undocumented immigrants will be legalized, or thrown out.

As of now, most Cuban immigrants who arrive on US soil stay, whereas Haitian immigrants are repatriated unless they have a “credible fear” of persecution if sent home. The ones that are able to stay in our country generally apply for naturalization as soon as possible. One place where Haitian immigrants can seek aid is the grass-roots organization in the Little Haiti section of Miami called Haitian Women. The group teaches Haitians about the US government through memorization to prepare them for the citizenship exam.

One person that is actually returning to Haiti after being in the US is election official Jacques Bernard. Bernard fled Haiti after being threatened by opponents after the February election of Rene Preval. Bernard is back in town to help organize a legislative runoff in order to form the new government. The runoff that was scheduled for March 19th has already been postponed due to street protests and riots.

You know that things are not going very well when the best thing that’s happened in Haiti recently was when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie came to visit, and when Wyclef Jean voted!