Black Families Fleeing Haiti File Civil Rights Complaint Demanding Federal Investigation of Inhumane Detention Conditions at U.S. Border
Complaint Details Lack Of Medical Care Leading To Miscarriage, Children Given Only Daily Rations Of Bread And Apples, Overcrowded Conditions
Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) filed a complaint on behalf of Haitian-Americans United (HAU) and its members, including 48 individuals who fled life-threatening conditions in Haiti, and who survived unconscionable mistreatment under the custody of federal officials at the U.S. border. The complaint was filed today with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the agency’s Inspector General demanding an immediate investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
The complaint outlines alarming facts about the lived experiences of Black Haitian families under DHS custody at the border:
Haitian families were confined by DHS for up to 10 days under the bridge near Del Rio, Texas. Once transferred to detention facilities, Haitian families were confined for up to 49 days before being released.
In light of DHS’s systemic abuse, HAU demands:
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the plight of Haitians at the border. People are fleeing Haiti seeking our protection. They do not deserve our punishment,” said Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint of Haitian-Americans United.
“In Boston, non-profit organizations have been overwhelmed helping Haitian families recently released from the border. They are traumatized. They need food, shelter, medical assistance, and humanitarian parole. We need the federal government to support them and treat them humanely,” said Dr. Geralde Gabeau, the Executive Director of the Immigrant Family Services Institute.
“Visceral anti-Black and anti-Haitian sentiments explain the gross miscarriage of justice experienced by Black Haitian families at the border at the hands of federal officials. As our country experiences a racial justice reckoning, we must recognize that Black immigrants matter too,” said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, the Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights.
“The federal government confined Black families fleeing from Haiti in inhumane and life-threatening conditions for an unnecessarily and excessively long period of time. These families came to the U.S. to seek safety, but instead were met with further despair,” said Arielle Sharma, Staff Attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights.
“The federal government utterly failed, injured and harmed the Black families fleeing from Haiti who arrived at the U.S. border in search of safety and human dignity,” said Sara Wilson, Civil Rights Fellow at Lawyers for Civil Rights. “This is unacceptable. The federal government must act expeditiously to end these harrowing conditions at the border.”
In addition to the action steps noted above, the complaint filed today asks the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the agency’s Inspector General to issue a report detailing all the factual findings from the requested investigation concerning the mistreatment of Black Haitian families at the border. The complaint also asks DHS to make this report available to Congress and the American public.
Click here to download the complaint.
DHS-Complaint-FINAL-10.18.2021