INS Laws Toward Haitians & Cubans

Politics in any country whether third-world, industrialized, rich or poor always have a direct impact on economy. We are experiencing a serious economic crisis in the United States of America today because of poor political decisions that were made in the previous administration. Political parties in the United States or abroad are established and supported based on their economical agendas. The same is true for Cuba and Haiti. However, the United States Immigration Laws regard the two groups of migrants differently in approximately the same period of time. Politically, since the 1950’s, Haiti and Cuba have shared similar situations that have forced both people to flee the Island and come to U.S. shores. The only difference between the two is the Cubans are predominantly fairly light skin mulatoes and the Haitians are blacks. In U.S. Immigration Laws’ defense, I would say that it made more sense in 1950’s and 1960’s when Batista supporters were fleeing the Castro’s regime to label them as political refugees and grant them asylum. However, for the past two decades or so, the Haitians and Cubans have been crossing the ocean for the same reasons. They are both in search of a better life. Giving the political instabilities, violations of human rights, terrors, U.S. embargoes and sanctions, restoration of President Jean Bertrand Aristide by 20,000 U.S. soldiers, United Nations’ presence in Haiti, a better case should be made for political asylum for the Haitians. Instead, the U.S. Immigration Laws view their status as more economical than political just so they can be detained in refugee and detention camps and sent back to Haiti while the Cubans are offered permanent residence upon arrival or through lottery. I would rather they just call it racism. Do they not know that laws are what justify racism? Do they not know that their immigration laws toward the Haitians are biased and histories of two Islands migrations are accessible to the world? Do they not know that a case can be made for charges on institutional racism? The answer is yes to all. But, no one cares; it is Haiti. A poor little country that became the first black nation to be free in the world after slavery in 1804. A poor little Island that still has to pay France indemnity to compensate the slave owners who had lost slaves during the Haitian revolution. A poor little Island whose independence was not recognized by the U.S. until about a hundred years later. Obviously, this is more than just immigration laws; it is about Haiti’s role in the history of the world. For what it is worth, I believe the U.S. Immigration Laws toward the Haitians should be reformed. The focus should be on the political aspects which have caused too many lives and inhumane living conditions from the Duvalier’s regimes (Papa Doc & Baby doc) to even worst today