America’s Next Refugee Crisis May Come From Haiti
If Haitians flee political and gang violence an exodus by sea could hit Florida.
Charred vehicles remain parked as gang violence escalates in Port-au-Prince.
Photographer: Clarens Siffroy/AFP/Getty Images
Haiti, already the poorest country in the Americas, is headed toward complete political, security and socioeconomic collapse. Basic services — schools, government offices, businesses, seaports, the capital’s airport, hospitals — are closing. If things continue, the chances of a mass migration from the tortured nation rises exponentially. Many will flee toward the US, which is already facing a significant challenge on its porous southern border.
None of this should be shocking or even surprising. In the 1990s, when a combination of similar internal catastrophes — from hurricanes to political unrest — wracked the country, tens of thousands of Haitians risked their lives on small boats headed toward the US. Many died at sea, and those who reached the shores of Florida faced difficult conditions as they tried to adapt to life in America.