Guyanese march for unity in Brooklyn
Caribbean Life, A BQ ug. 16-23, 2019 3
By Nelson A. King
Brooklyn Democratic Congresswoman
Yvette D. Clarke on Thursday strongly
condemned the Trump administration’s
termination of the Haitian Family
Reunification Parole Program.
Clarke told Caribbean Life that the
Haitian Family Reunification Parole
Program, modeled after the Haitian
Emergency Life Protection Act that
she introduced in the US House of
Representatives in 2010, allowed family
members of US citizens and lawful
permanent residents, who were living in
Haiti and had already been approved for
a family-based immigrant visa, to come
to the US during their processing.
“Our immigrant community has
been attacked yet again by this xenophobic
administration – this time with
the termination of the US Citizenship
and Immigration Services’ (USCIS)
family-reunification parole program
for Haitian nationals,” said Clarke, the
daughter of Jamaican immigrants.
“I am calling for a retraction of the
administration’s cowardly decision to
end the Haitian Family Reunification
Parole Program because this choice
does not reflect the American values
that bind us,” added the representative
for the largely 9th Congressional District
in Brooklyn.
In 2010, Clarke said she “proudly
introduced the Haitian Emergency Life
Protection Act that became the model
for the Haitian Family Reunification
Parole Program that was just terminated
by this administration – a program
that has been crucial to ensuring Haitian
families remain together in safety.
“My parents immigrated to America,
which has given me a deep understanding
into the work and sacrifice required
to leave one’s country of origin and
move to the United States in search of
better opportunities,” she said.
“This administration’s revocation of
the Haitian Family Reunification Parole
Program reverses considerable progress
in addressing the immigration backlog
facing Haitian-American families
while lessening US support of longterm
Haitian development, and significantly
delays immigrants’ pursuit of the
American Dream and further extends
family separation.”
Last Friday, USCIS said it intended
to terminate two categorical parole programs,
consistent with what it said is
Executive Order (E.O.) 13767, Border
Security and Immigration Enforcement
Improvements, “and to better ensure
that parole is used only on a case-bycase
basis, consistent with the law.”
USCIS said parole is a process that
allows foreign nationals to temporarily
enter or remain in the United States,
including those who are otherwise
inadmissible.
The programs to be terminated are
the Haitian Family Reunification Parole
program and the Filipino World War II
Veterans Parole program, USCIS said.
Under both of these categorical
parole programs, it said individuals
with approved family-based immigrant
petitions have been authorized to enter
and work in the United States while
waiting for their green card to become
available.
USCIS said the decision to end these
parole programs “ends the expedited
processing that was made available to
these populations in a categorical fashion.
“It follows an extensive review to better
ensure that parole authority under
the Immigration and Nationality Act is
exercised on a case-by-case basis, when
there is a significant public benefit or
urgent humanitarian reason,” it said.
“Categorical parole refers to programs
designed to consider parole for entire
groups of individuals based on pre-set
criteria.
By Tangerine Clarke
There was strong support for unity,
and calls to remember Guyana’s motto:
One People, One Nation, One Destiny,
when hundreds of Guyanese nationals
marched down Church Avenue, last
Sunday with flags waving, and drums
beating for a country that is polarized
by division, and political uncertainty.
Minister of Social Protection, Amna
Ally in a fiery speech during a rally
at the corner of Schenectady Ave. &
Linden Blvd., told the Guyanese diasporans,
that the APNU / AFC government
reaffirms its commitment to unity and
brotherhood and equality among all
citizens of Guyana.
Highlighting the Coalition’s achievement,
Ally said the government has
transformed the state from the corrupt
practices perpetrated under the People’s
Progressive Party (PPP).
“We cannot encourage conversations
and activities that are meant to divide
us, to weaken our morals, limit our
potential and impede the development
of our country,” said Ally.
“We must show a sense of purpose
and maturity, greater mutual respect,
tolerance and understand. If we are
to survive as a nation, we must, put
nation first at this critical juncture of
our country’s history. This is exactly
what the coalition is committed to,”
added Ally.
“The destiny of this nation could
only be unified, as Guyanese, under the
continued leadership of President David
Granger, a leader of great vision and
integrity. The progress of this nation
is for all Guyanese,” said Ally, noting,
that oil reserves have put Guyana at a
critical point to shift “our economy and
transform the lives of all citizens.”
“Unity is our strength. We must
overcome our differences for our common
goal, for a pathway to true Guyanese
brotherhood, unity, prosperity,
and self-respect for our nation,” said
the politician.
This is the second such parade, organized
by the Guyana Unity Movement
(GUM), that brought Guyanese together
from across the diaspora, and the US, to
affect positive change, with the understanding
that there is only one race, the
human, said president Sherif Barker-
Fraser, during an impassioned speech
that addressed the divisive language
being heard across Guyana.
Addressing Guyana’s pending economic
transformation to include oil
reserve, Barker denounced the promotion
of hateful language by groups
that are building a platform of division,
hatred and fear.
She said GUM is sending a strong
message of commitment and support
for people of every race of Guyana, in
the diaspora and around the globe.
“We are not living in Guyana, but we
are still Guyanese, working together as
One People, One Nation, One Destiny,”
she said.
“We are united in our strength.
Today we are moved by the hope of a
new tomorrow, in which the voice of
every man, woman, and child, will be
heard and respected, no matter their
religion, ethnicity, economic status, or
region in which they live in,” said the
community leader.
Haitian-American Assemblywoman,
Rodneyse Bichotte, and newly elected
Councilmember, Farah Louie, marched
in solidarity and joined in calling for
unity, while renewing concerns for their
Haitian brothers and sisters in Guyana
who are being disrespected.
“It is important to be united, not only
in Guyana but across the diaspora,” said
Bichotte, reminiscing that Haiti was
the first Black republic that fought the
French for freedom.
She thanked Guyana for embracing
and opening its doors to welcome
Haitians, Indians, Chinese, and Trinidadians,
as Guyana moves forward in
unity and strength, as “One people, One
nation, One Destiny.”
Farah Louis, newly appointed councilmember
of the 45th Council District
in Brooklyn, in turn, said the rally is
GUM’s commitment to “unity in your
community,” and a catalyst for change,
that will affect generations of Guyanese,
together, as “one people, one nation,
continuing to one destiny.”
Dean of the School of Science, Health
and Technology at Medgar Evers College,
CUNY, Professor Terrence Blackman,
told Guyanese “if they want to be
unified, they must love their country
more that anything else.”
In his bold explanation, Blackman,
a mathematician, said “our survival as
Guyanese in the diaspora, depends on
our adherence to the values of being
objective, being honest, open, fair,
accountable, and being good stewards.”
APNU/AFC Coalition Representative, Kamla Asha Balbachan, left, and
youth, carrying a banner showcasing President David A. Granger, (center)
surrounded by past Presidents of Guyana, during a march for ‘unity’ in
Brooklyn. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
Clarke rips Trump’s termination of Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program