An Advocate's Reflection on the Quixote Center's Solidarity Trip
During our solidarity trip to Southern Mexico in November, seven participants from partner organizations joined us. The following is a reflection from participant Thomas Cartwright, an activist with Witness at the Border. A retired financial executive from Columbus, Ohio, Thomas Cartwright is now a global refugee advocate. He advocates for the rights of migrants in Congress, regularly visits border regions from the U.S.-Mexico border to Greece, and his work to monitor ICE removal flights has been instrumental in our work to defend Haitian migrants.
TPS for Haiti is extended and redesignated
The Biden administration extended and redesignated Temporary Protected States (TPS) for Haiti on Monday, December 5, 2022. Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas made the decision after the administration received pressure from US advocates and members of Congress.
What TPS is and why we are asking Biden to extend and redesignate it for Haiti
The Quixote Center is calling on the Biden administration to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians who will otherwise lose this status in February of 2023. We are also calling for the administration to redesignate the date for TPS so that all Haitians currently in the United States may apply.
Deaths on Trois Rivieres crossing highlight need for bridge funding
Eleven women merchants died after the truck they were in toppled while attempting to ford the Trois Rivieres just outside of Gros Morne, Haiti on the evening of November 4, 2022. Nine women died in the accident; 2 more have died in the days since.
Presente! Melvin Calero Mendoza
Melvin Calero Mendoza died in immigrant detention on October 13, 2022. He was the first immigrant to die in ICE custody since the current fiscal year (FY2023) began on October 1, 2022; the 45th immigrant to die in ICE Custody over the last five years.
Letter to USDA requesting extension of mango pre clearance program in Haiti
November 1, 2022
Mr. Jorge Abad
Area Director for Central America and the Caribbean
USDA APHIS PPQ Preclearance and Offshore Programs
4700 River Road, Unit 66
Riverdale, MD 20737
RE: Mango Preclearance Program in Haiti
Dear Mr. Abad,
We are writing as partner organizations to groups working with small-scale producers in Gros Morne, Haiti.
Haiti: Fuel terminal “liberated;” military intervention paused, but still possible
The armed group, the G-9 Families and Allies, seizing control of the fuel terminal at Varreux has dominated news from Haiti for the past two months. The group’s blockade of fuel entering the country impacted food delivery and medical supply chains just as cholera was presenting again. The blockade, and apparent inability of Haiti’s police to deal with the situation, became the chief talking point for those seeking an armed intervention. Over the last six days the situation has changed.
In Memory of Unfinished Journeys
November 1st and 2nd marked Día de muertos in México; however, México is not the only country to celebrate the tradition of honoring the dead this week.
Mango Fransik: "Haitian gold" at risk
Last week we reported on the a decision by the USDA to block the importation of Haitian mangos because Haitian based inspectors were placed on leave due to security considerations. Below is a reflection on what this decision means for Gros Morne from Guy Marie Garçon, the chief agronomist & agronomy team coordinator for Karitas Pawas Lachandlè at the Jean Marie Vincent Formation Center.
Food security crisis in Haiti deepens, long term solutions are available
A portion of Haiti’s population is experiencing famine conditions for the first time since the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system was created in 2004. 19,000 people in Cite Soleil are estimated to be at risk of starvation. Outside of Port-au-Prince, the situation is also dire. IPC estimated 4.7 million people are facing severe food insecurity, with 1.8 million people at “urgent” levels.