Behind The Headline: Haitian Migrants Living in the US with Expired Visas

More than 10,000 illegal Haitian migrants in the US

Radio Metropole and Loop Haiti in Port-au-Prince report:

Translated Summary: The US Department of Homeland Security revealed in its annual report that more than 10,000 Haitians live illegally in the United States. 10,558 Haitians who obtained a visa or a residence permit for the United States have never returned to Haiti, according to the report published for fiscal year 2017-2018. For the fiscal year, all the countries included in the report have a total of 628,799 people in the US in an irregular situation. Haiti occupies the 12th place (10,558), behind several developed countries including the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, France, Spain and Germany. Haitians and nationals of 14 other countries violate US migration laws by remaining in the US without authorization at the end of their residence permit or visa, for a total of more than 256,000 nationals (excluding Mexico and Canada). According to American legislators, mass deportations could destabilize the region, trigger a new wave of unauthorized immigration and jeopardize American foreign policy objectives. (10/08/2018)

Migration issues are at the forefront of our discourse, and this report highlights the challenges to America's immigration system that reach beyond the US-Mexico border. By monitoring news coming from affected communities—written and spoken in their mother tongue—decision makers are more informed, and better equiped to do their decision making.