Dear Operation Outpour Partners and Friends,
We urgently need your help.
Our Haitian friends, who are here in the USA legally under protection, are facing a devastating and unexpected mandate to self-deport back to Haiti much sooner than their permits were set to expire.
Given the incredibly dangerous conditions in Haiti, returning now puts them at grave risk of harm.
A template message is provided below to help you quickly contact your representatives and urge them to reconsider this decision. Please join us in prayer:
1.) for a change of heart and for our leaders to listen. For our leaders to give Haitians protection in the USA.
2.) Pray for the Haitian families that will have to make difficult decisions very soon.
This is a task where everyone’s contribution matters deeply. Lives are directly impacted by our involvement.
Forever grateful,
Jenn Douma
@everyone please copy and paste this letter to forward to your Representatives. You can find your representatives by visiting congress.gov and typing in your zip code. Email is not always an option. Look at each one to see the best way of reaching out.
I am writing to you on behalf of the countless Haitian nationals who currently reside in the United States under parole, seeking to provide countervailing evidence in support of their continued presence in our country under section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The situation in Haiti has increasingly deteriorated, rendering the safety and well-being of its citizens precarious and uncertain.
Haiti is currently experiencing an extreme level of instability, exacerbated by factors such as rampant gang violence, political unrest, economic collapse, and a lack of functioning governmental infrastructure. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 has left a significant power vacuum, leading to heightened violence and an absence of law and order throughout the nation. According to the United Nations, approximately 4.9 million people in Haiti are facing acute food insecurity, and many are unable to access basic health services due to the breakdown of the healthcare system amidst ongoing violence and conflict.
According to reports from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), gang-related activities have surged, with gangs controlling a significant portion of the country, especially in Port-au-Prince. On March 31st, gangs overtook and destroyed a prison in Mirebalais, freeing hundreds of prisoners. Additionally, countless innocent people were killed, including two nuns. These gangs often engage in kidnappings, extortion, and violent confrontations with rival factions, creating an environment of terror that has forced many Haitians to flee their homes. The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory clearly cautions against travel to Haiti due to the imminent threats of crime and instability, further substantiating the inherent dangers faced by Haitian nationals if they were to return.
Under such dire circumstances, the return of Haitian nationals to their home country poses an unimaginable risk to their lives and safety. Murder, rape and extorsion are common practice to those that have ties to the United States, thus putting a target on the refugees that are thrust back into the country. It is the moral and legal duty of the United States to ensure that individuals who face persecution or life-threatening conditions are protected. Extending parole for these individuals is not only a matter of humanitarian concern but also aligns with the principles of international human rights and asylum law.
In light of the present conditions in Haiti and the absence of a safe and stable environment for returning nationals, I urge you to reconsider the extension of parole for Haitian individuals currently residing in the United States. Their continued presence offers them a chance at safety, stability, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives far from the dangers that await them should they be forced to return.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I appreciate your consideration.
Sincerely,
