Representatives Vargas (CA-51) and Jacobs (CA-53) Send Letter to President Joe Biden Urging Him to Address the Treatment of Haitians at the U.S.-Mexico Border
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 27, 2021) – Representative Juan Vargas (CA-51) and Representative Sara Jacobs (CA-53) released the following statement after sending a letter to President Joe Biden asking for an immediate halt of mass deportations of Haitians at the U.S.-Mexico border and denouncing the inhumane and counterproductive treatment of the Haitian migrants and asylum-seekers.
“We respectfully urge the immediate halt of the mass deportations of Haitians at our Southern border. The inhumane and counterproductive treatment and deportation of Haitian migrants and asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border are unacceptable.”
“The images of the United States border patrol agents on horses corralling and whipping Haitian migrants with horse reins as they attempt to cross the Rio Grande do not depict our American values and commitment to human rights. As Americans, we have a responsibility to uphold our principles no matter how dire the circumstances may be. The use of Title 42 has allowed the Department of Homeland Security to deport hundreds of Haitian migrants without allowing them the chance to apply for asylum.”
“The loss of the Haitian president combined with catastrophic earthquakes and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has left Haiti, one of the most underdeveloped countries in the Western Hemisphere, in further distress and in need of American assistance. We cannot turn our backs on the country and its people who are facing such devastation.”
“We applaud the strides that the Biden Administration has made to make the U.S. asylum system more humane. However, the continued use of Title 42, established under the Trump administration, needs to end and asylum seekers must be given the opportunity to present their cases. As a nation founded by immigrants, we must assure that migrants are treated humanely. We request immediate attention by the Administration to these matters.”
Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire U.S.-Mexico border. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his fifth term in Congress. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.
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