The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a shocking video showing Haitian migrants in chains, their wrists and ankles bound by a chain around their waist, being led up the stairs of an airplane. The accompanying message was unequivocal : "Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been terminated. Those whose TPS has expired are in our country illegally. They have two options : Leave immediately or be deported."

This practice has sparked international outrage and condemnation from numerous human rights organizations. Critics denounce the dehumanization and "depravity" of U.S. immigration policy. They point out that Haiti is mired in a catastrophic security and humanitarian crisis, dominated by gang terror. Sending people back in chains to a country where they risk their lives almost immediately upon arrival, often met by armed police on the tarmac, is considered disproportionate and degrading by the international community and migrant rights organizations.

US authorities justify the use of handcuffs or chains during recent deportations of Haitian migrants by citing the strict application of standard security protocols for deportation flights. This practice is motivated by two main reasons from the US administration, despite the intense humanitarian controversy it has generated :

1 - The ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Flight Security Protocol : The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency systematically uses physical restraints during the air transfer of deportees. This measure aims to prevent any incidents, resistance, or attempts to disrupt the flight on charter aircraft.

2 - Judicial and Political Profiles Displayed : Authorities indicate that some of the people deported on these flights have criminal records or have served sentences in the United States, justifying the use of enhanced coercive measures. Furthermore, the deliberate dissemination of these images is part of a deterrent display policy implemented by the US administration to combat illegal immigration.

S/ HaitiLibre