McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A Haitian migrant advocacy group and DHS are praising a federal court’s ruling to allow the Biden administration to keep operating a program that permits a limited number of migrants from Haiti and three other countries to enter the United States on humanitarian grounds.
U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton on Friday ruled that Texas and 20 other states had not proven sufficient harm because of the humanitarian parole program implemented by the Department of Homeland Security in 2022.
The program allows up to 30,000 qualifying asylum-seekers per month entry into the United States from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela combined.
Texas led a contingency of states that sued saying the program is costing the states to spend millions of dollars on health care, education and public safety for the asylum seekers.
A Haitian mother holds her children in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 2, 2022, as she waits to be relocated to a shelter in the northern Mexican border town. (Border Report File Photo)
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the program is necessary to provide legal and safe pathways to the United States for migrants from these countries.
“These processes — a safe and orderly way to reach the United States — have resulted in a significant reduction in the number of these individuals encountered at our southern border. It is a key element of our efforts to address the unprecedented level of migration throughout our hemisphere, and other countries around the world see it as a model to tackle the challenge of increased irregular migration that they too are experiencing,” Mayorkas said. “We will continue to deliver strengthened consequences for those who attempt to circumvent lawful pathways on land or at sea.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday touted this as the third anniversary of the state’s Operation Lone Star border security initiative to combat illegal immigration.
“Texas continues to step up to defend against the chaos created by President Biden’s open border policies,” he posted on X.
Abbott has repeatedly criticized the federal government for allowing asylum-seekers into the country, specifically the Texas border.
But Mayorkas says the humanitarian parole program is working.
“Those who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States will be subject to prompt removal, a minimum five-year bar on admission, and potential criminal prosecution for unlawful reentry. Migrants should continue to use safe and orderly lawful pathways and processes that have been expanded under the Biden-Harris Administration,” Mayorkas said.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance praised Friday’s federal court decision to dismiss the lawsuit saying “This decision represents a positive development in the ongoing efforts to support and protect vulnerable communities that are experiencing chronic insecurity, natural disasters, and for those seeking to reunite with family members in the United States. We appreciate the commitment of lawyers, NGOs and affected communities involved in upholding the rights and dignity of individuals seeking refuge, and we remain dedicated to advocating for fair and just immigration policies that prioritize compassion and humanity.”
Currently, in Haiti, gangs are overthrowing police and causing widespread violence and fear in the Caribbean island nation.
Jimmy Cherizier, the leader of the “G9 et Famille” gang, talks with members of his gang while taking a ride on the back of a motorcycle in his district of Delmas 6 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. Cherizier, best known by his childhood nickname Barbecue, has become the most recognized name in Haiti. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
A state of emergency was declared last week around the capital of Port-au-Prince as violence forced thousands to flee their homes and the main airport to close.
The United States sent in Marines this weekend after safety concerns. NPR reports that non-essential U.S. embassy staff were evacuated from Haiti as gang violence escalated.
At least 1,200 people in Haiti have been killed and 15,000 displaced since the start of the year, according to media reports.
Thousands of Haitians who are crossing the border into Texas claim asylum saying the violence and gangs plaguing their island nation threaten their livelihood.
“We remain dedicated to advocating for fair and just immigration policies that prioritize compassion and humanity,” the Haitian Bridge Alliance said.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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