Immigration

Thematic Hearing on Deportations of Haitian Nationals from the United States to Haiti During the 186th Period of Sessions of the Inter- American Commission on Human Rights

On March 9, 2023, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) held a hearing on deportations of Haitian nationals from the United States to Haiti. The Commission called this public hearing in response to a request made jointly by IJDH and the University of Miami School of Law Human Rights Clinic (HRC); Alternative Chance / Chans Altenativ; the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Transnational Legal Clinic (TLC); Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFK); and the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA).

Even as the humanitarian and security situation continues to rapidly deteriorate, the United States – which has a long history of racism and discrimination against Haitian migrants – has persisted in deporting Haitian nationals, in violation of their rights. The U.S. government knows full well that conditions in Haiti pose grave risks to deportees’ lives, personal safety, and health, and it is complicit in the systematic unlawful detention of deported Haitians in inhumane conditions.

The hearing featured presentations by Haitian Bridge Alliance and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights on Haiti’s humanitarian and insecurity crisis, as well as testimony from individuals directly impacted by the deportations.

Read our coalition partners’ press release following the hearing here.

HEARING RECORDINGS

IACHR-provided recording of the hearing (original English and Spanish with auto-generated English subtitles) 

Recording of the hearing with English interpretation
This recording was made by IJDH from the interpretation streams provided by IACHR. There was no option for interpretation into Haitian Creole, only French, which most Haitians do not speak. This is emblematic of a broader failure by the IACHR to prioritize language justice and ensure participation by and accessibility for marginalized communities and Haitians specifically.