Offi ce of Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke Congressional Haiti and
Caribbean Caucus ‘profoundly
grateful’ for release of final
missionaries in Haiti
Caribbean Life, D 22 ecember 24-30, 2021
By Nelson A. King
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant
Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Raquel
Batista on Wednesday announced
that the City will provide $1,500,000
in funding to help newly-arrived Haitian
New Yorkers access immigration
legal assistance and social services.
“This investment is part of the
City’s continued commitment in
responding to Haiti’s compounding
crises over the past few months,”
Batista said.
“We are excited to work with
CBOs (Community-based Organizations)
staffed by Haitian New Yorkers,
and located immediately within our
City’s Haitian communities, who provide
daily support and services to their
fellow community members including
those who have recently resettled in
New York City,” she added.
J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor
for Strategic Policy Initiatives, said
that while Haitian migrants continue
to face an uncertain future, “it is
imperative we continue to work with
CBOs who have been leaders in helping
this community.
“I am looking forward to how this partnership
will help expand the City’s reach
to the Haitian community and connect
them to critical resources for their resettlement
process,” he said.
“As a proud Haitian immigrant,
I understand the importance of prioritizing
the needs of Haitian asylum
seekers.” said Magalie Desroches Austin,
senior advisor and director of
the Mayor’s Office of Minority and
Women-Owned Business Enterprises.
“I am glad to see the administration
supporting Haitian resettlement services
through Haitian run CBOs and
hope that more municipalities follow
New York City’s lead.”
Batista said that the funds will
be distributed to community-based
partners that will provide linguistically
and culturally-responsive case
management and immigration legal
services to newly-arrived Haitian New
Yorkers.
She said case managers will work
with newly-arrived Haitians to determine
eligibility for benefits and connect
them to resources and services.
Batista said legal services will
include assistance in accessing Temporary
Protected Status (TPS) and
other humanitarian forms of relief,
removal and deportation defense, and
immigration legal services capacitybuilding
among local CBOs and pro
bono attorneys.
Efforts will also include an antifraud
and information messaging
campaign across community and
ethnic media, Batista said.
By Nelson A. King
The co-chairs of Congress’ Haiti Caucus
and Caribbean Caucus on Friday
said they were “profoundly grateful”
for the release of the remaining 12
captured US and Canadian missionaries
in Haiti.
Caribbean American Congresswoman
Yvette Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican
immigrants, who represents the
9th Congressional District in Brooklyn,
is the founding co-chair of the Haiti
Caucus and Caribbean Caucus, along
with Congressmembers Andy Levin
of Michigan, Val Demings of Florida,
Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Stacey
Plaskett of the US Virgin Islands
and Maxine Waters of California.
“We are profoundly grateful and
relieved to learn that the final 12 hostages
held in Haiti, who were abducted
more than two months ago, were safely
found yesterday,” said the co-chairs in
a joint statement. “With their release,
all 17 of the missionaries representing
Christian Aid Ministries are able to
return to their homes.
“These individuals, five of whom are
children, ventured into Haiti for a noble
cause: helping people in need.,” they
added. “We wish them well as they
recover from the trauma of the past two
months, and we thank them for their
dedication.”
The co-chairs said that “though this
terrible chapter has concluded, the
tragic conditions that have struck Haiti
throughout the past year and enabled
lawlessness of this degree persist.
“US policy concerning Haiti must be
rooted in building upon a partnership
that will continue to promote democracy,
human rights and security throughout
the nation,” they urged. “It is our
hope and intention that efforts to support
a Haitian-led democratic government’s
stabilization and reemergence
take priority for this administration.
“To prevent further tragedies, it is
paramount we reimagine our approach
and policies to supporting our Haitian
neighbors,” the Haiti Caucus and Caribbean
Caucus said.
On Thursday, the Joe Biden administration
welcomed the release of the
remaining 12 hostages in Haiti.
“We welcome the news that the
remaining 12 individuals, including
11 US citizens, kidnapped on October
16 are free today,” said Ned Price,
US Department of State spokesperson
in a statement. “We are tremendously
relieved for them and their families,
with whom they will soon be reunited.
“We want to thank our partners in
the Haitian National Police, international
organizations and the US interagency
who worked tirelessly for their freedom,”
Price added. “The welfare and safety of
US citizens in Haiti, as in all countries,
is the department’s highest priority.”
He said the Biden administration
remains committed to Haiti’s future,
and supporting the safety and prosperity
of the Haitian people.
“We will continue to support the Haitian
National Police to improve security
for all Haitians, as well as US citizens in
Haiti,” Price said.
On Oct. 16, 17 missionaries representing
the nonprofit Christian Aid Ministries
(CAM), including 16 Americans
and one Canadian, were kidnapped by
armed men, demanding a ransom of
US$1 million per hostage.
The missionaries were returning
to their home base, after visiting an
orphanage, and were driving through
the suburb of Croix des Bouquets, just
outside Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
On Nov. 21, two missionaries were
released; and, two weeks later, three
more were released.
It remains unclear if and how much
ransom was paid to the kidnappers for
the release of the hostages.
$1.5M in funding
to help newlyarrived
Haitian
New Yorkers