In August, the United States began sending Central Americans who had been detained at the US/Mexico border under Title 42 to southern Mexico. There, they were put on buses and taken to the border with Guatemala and dumped.
It has now been seven days since an earthquake struck the southern peninsula of Haiti, doing tremendous damage in the Sud, Nippes, and Grand Anse departments. According to the latest update from Haiti's government, 2,189 people are confirmed dead, with another 12,268 injured. Some communities have yet to be reached by government officials and volunteers, and so this toll is likely to climb much higher.
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Haiti on Saturday had severe impact on the cities of Les Cayes and Jeremie, and surrounding areas, with further destruction in and near Jacmel. People certainly felt the quake in Port au Prince. Tremors happened all day, bringing back memories of the 2010 quake and sending people out into the streets in fear.
It has been over a year since we discontinued the Daily Dispatch, which served as our regular (indeed, daily) summary of immigration policy. We are not bringing it back any time soon, but this week feels like one where we need to offer some news briefs and updates from a few areas of immigration policy. So in this installment of the Occasionally Recurring Dispatch!
Back in June, the Washington Post’s editorial board warned of a looming crisis in Haiti, and argued for a more “muscular” United States response. They wrote, “There is now a real prospect of full-blown anarchy, and resulting waves of boat people fleeing to safer shores.
[The Justice Peace and the Integrity of Creation Committee of the Franciscan Family of Honduras is a fellow member of the Franciscan Network on Migration. The new free trade zone law in Honduras continues the current government's pattern of providing open access to Honduras' natural resources and exploitation of workers. Speaking out against such "reform" is crucial. This kind of liberal investment environment, promoted as a means to address the "roots of migration," will likely make things worse in the long run by dislocating communities and undermining labor.]
This week a new interim government was established in Haiti and the United States appointed a special envoy to represent US interests in the effort to move forward on elections, provide security and to offer support for the investigation into Moise’s assassination. Along the way, the Biden administration demonstrated once again the inability of the US government to listen to anybody standing outside the echo chamber clamoring about the indispensable role of the United States in finding a solution.
In the ten days since Jovenel Moise was assassinated the international media has been primarily focused on the constantly shifting details of the attack itself.
Twenty-eight people have been arrested by the Haitian National Police for involvement in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse - including 2 Haitian Americans and 26 men from Colombia, some identified as
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAIa36v4XBY[/embed]
Haiti’s acting president, Jovenel Moïse was assassinated this morning. Press reports are largely leaning on a brief statement by interim prime minister Claude Joseph for details. The statement reads (translation, CNN),
