US preparing to bring back Haitian immigrants

DEL RIO, Texas, USA (AP) – The United States may this Sunday begin returning thousands of Haitians who came to Texas from Mexico and are living in a camp.

Many migrants have lived in Latin America for years but are now seeking asylum in the United States, as economic opportunities in Brazil and other countries have disappeared. Thousands of them are living under a bridge in Del Rio, a city on the Texas-Mexico border.

Many migrants have said they would not be distracted by US actions. Others say they cannot return to Haiti because of the instability in the country following the recent earthquake and the assassination of President Jovanel Mosse.

“There is no security in Haiti,” said Fabrisio Jean, a 38-year-old Haitian who came to Texas with his wife and two daughters. “The country is caught in a political crisis.”

An official source told The Associated Press that repatriation flights would begin on Sunday, with five to eight a day. Another source indicated that there would be only two flights per day. The first official said that the operational capacity and the number of flights will be determined by the approval of the landing by the Haitian government. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Large numbers of people came and drove to the Rio Grande on Saturday, before returning to camp in Texas, re-entering Mexico to buy water, food and diapers at Ciudad Acua.

Jin, a 32-year-old Haitian junior, saw people crossing the river with water on their backs and water on their knees. He remarked that for the past four years he has been living on the streets in Santiago de Chile, rummaging through garbage to eat.

“We are all looking for a better life,” he said.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry wrote on Twitter on Sunday that she was concerned about the conditions in the camp, and that Haitians would be welcome.