Crisis in Haiti

Sep 27, 2021

Most of the migrants coming to the southern border fled Haiti a decade ago, after the 2010 earthquake. Many have been living in Brazil and Chile, where they formed the lowest paid part of the workforce—in fact, many of the migrant children were born in South America and have never seen Haiti. But now the South American countries are in the midst of their own economic crises, and work has dried up.

So, in desperation, thousands are attempting the journey of many thousands of miles to get to the U.S., a journey that for many includes an attempt to walk through the densest jungle in the Americas.

Haitians from South America have now been joined by other Haitians fleeing the most recent earthquake and the deteriorating economic and political situation on the island following the assassination of President Jovenal Moïse in July. Haiti still has 650,000 people who need emergency humanitarian assistance from the earthquake that struck in August, according to the U.N. Thousands more are fleeing hunger and violence in other parts of the Caribbean and Central America.

U.S. corporations suck enormous wealth from the low-paid labor of Haitian workers—both in Haiti, and from those who manage to make it out. U.S. governments have ensured that exploitation can continue by repeatedly invading the island, propping up one dictatorship after another. And while the details are different, the same could be said for the other countries migrants are fleeing from.

This is what the capitalist, imperialist system means today: increasing numbers of people find themselves in unliveable situations, and no laws or border walls can keep them from trying to find a way to survive by fleeing to wealthier countries like the United States.

The Biden administration, just like every administration before it, has no interest in giving refuge to the Haitian population. It represents capital, and capital accumulates profit off of human exploitation