Haitian nationals attempting to illegally enter the United States by sea crossing face immediate repatriation back to their home country, according to a new warning shared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In a statement shared with NTD News on Friday, DHS said it remains watchful for heightened numbers of individuals attempting to make their way to the United States by boat. This heightened attention to crossing to the United States by sea comes amid widespread unrest in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti, where an alliance of armed gangs and revolutionaries have clashed with the country’s existing government.
Amid this unrest in Haiti, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has already ordered his state to prepare for a potential spike in illegal sea crossings from Haiti.
“At this time irregular migration flows through the Caribbean remain low,” the DHS spokesperson told NTD News.
Still, the department is reiterating warnings against attempted sea crossings.
“All irregular migration journeys, especially maritime routes, are extremely dangerous, unforgiving, and often result in loss of life,” the DHS official said. “DHS will continue to enforce U.S. laws and policy throughout the Florida Straits and the Caribbean region.”
The DHS spokesperson said their current policy is to return noncitizens who don’t demonstrate a fear of persecution or torture, or a legal basis to enter the United States.
“Those interdicted at sea are subject to immediate repatriation pursuant to our longstanding policy and procedures,” the DHS spokesperson continued.
NTD News asked follow-up questions about the standards DHS uses to determine whether those interdicted at sea have a legal basis or credible fear that warrants U.S. entry. The DHS spokesperson did not provide a direct response to these questions.
The U.S. Coast Guard, a military branch that also operates under the DHS umbrella, has reported repatriating 131 people from Haiti thus far in fiscal year 2024, which began on Oct. 1, 2023.
The Coast Guard Cutter Venturous reportedly repatriated 65 Haitian nationals just this week. The Coast Guard said this repatriation effort came after a March 7 at-sea interdiction. A good samaritan reportedly alerted watchstanders with the Coast Guard’s Miami-based 7th District, who subsequently dispatched the Cutter Venturous to intercept a distressed vessel operating near the Bahamian island of Great Inagua, about 50 miles north of Haiti.
The official Coast Guard effort to block illegal immigration by sea is known as Operation Vigilant Sentry.
“The maritime environment is inherently dangerous and can become deadly aboard crowded unseaworthy vessels,” Capt. Willie Carmichael, Incident Commander for Operation Vigilant Sentry, said following this latest repatriation of Haitian nationals. “The Coast Guard will continue working with our [DHS Homeland Security Task Force Southeast] partners to rescue and repatriate anyone attempting irregular migration via sea routes, regardless of their nationality.”
Unrest in Haiti
Haiti has seen decades of social and political unrest. President François Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier retained power throughout the country from 1957 to 1986; a period in which they were widely and consistently accused of political repression and in which elections were widely regarded as sham proceedings.
While Haiti has made efforts toward political reform, concerns of corruption and violence have continued beyond the Duvalier era. Following a coup, the country endured a period of military rule under Lieutenant General Joseph Raoul Cédras from 1991 to 1994.
United Nations Peacekeeping efforts were launched in the country throughout the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.
Haiti saw another violent revolt and change of power in 2004. The country also endured a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake in 2010, with death toll estimates as high as 220,000 following the natural disaster and its aftermath.
Haiti has endured more recent uncertainty following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Mr. Moïse’s successor, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, has faced allegations of involvement in the assassination plot. Haiti has seen delays in ordering new elections in the years since the Moïse assassination.
Throughout Mr. Henry’s leadership tenure, Haiti has seen a low-level multi-factional conflict between Haitian government forces, an alliance of street gangs and armed groups known as Fòs Revolisyonè G9 an Fanmi e Alye (The “Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies” or G9), and another alliance of street gangs and armed groups known as GPep.
In recent weeks, gunmen claiming loyalty to G9 stormed two of Haiti’s largest prisons, freeing hundreds of inmates.
While Mr. Henry made a state visit to Kenya, G9 loyalists fired at the country’s main airport. G9 leader Jimmy Cherizier has said the airport attack is meant to block Mr. Henry’s return to the country.
On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti began advising Americans in the country to leave and began evacuating some of its own personnel. The U.S. military has deployed additional security forces, including a U.S. Marine Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) to bolster the embassy’s defenses.
This week, Mr. Henry announced he intends to resign as head of the Caribbean nation once a transitional presidential council has been established and an interim leader has been named.
