Tag Archives: caribbean

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Cuba Denies Permission for Opposition Protest Marches

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HAVANA, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Cuba on Tuesday denied government opponents permission to stage what they said would be a peaceful march for civil liberties in the capital Havana and a few other provinces on grounds it was part of efforts to overthrow the government, according to a letter handed to organizers.

Protests rocked the Communist-run country for two days in July, with the biggest anti-government demonstrations in decades resulting in hundreds of arrests, one death and calls for U.S. intervention by some Cuban-Americans.

Government critics, organized by a Facebook group called Archipelago, initially planned protests across the country for Nov. 20, but switched the date to Nov. 15 after authorities declared the 20th a “National Defense Day” during which citizens practice preparedness for a U.S. invasion.

The fallback date of the 15th, however, falls on the same day Cuba, an island nation of white sand beaches and coral reefs, plans to reopen to tourism after two years in which the all-important industry was hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuba watchers and many governments have been closely following this newest challenge to local authorities.

Protests in Cuba have always been forbidden with few exceptions on grounds the United States was behind them, but the country’s new constitution, approved three years ago, opened a new space for “legitimate” protest.

“The protesters … as well as their links with some subversive organizations … have the open intention of changing the political system in Cuba,” a letter to organizers rejecting permission said.

“The protests are a provocation and part of a regime change strategy for Cuba tested in other countries.”

Archipelago, which says it has some 20,000 members, many of whom live outside the country, said they had planned to rally for civil liberties including the right to peaceful protest and an amnesty for imprisoned government opponents.

“We thought this might happen after they declared the 20th National Defense Day,” protest leader and playwright Yunior García told Reuters.

“This response shows the most conservative and hard line have power in Cuba,” he said, adding the group was still discussing its next move.

Well-known government opponents are among those who remain behind bars following the July 11-12 unrest, some facing long sentences.

Reporting by Marc Frank and Nelson Acosta Editing by Marguerita Choy

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Guatemala, Mexico Come to Grips with Colonial Past, Repression

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Demonstrators walk past the statue of former President Jose Maria Reina Barrios after people attempted to topple it during protests against the treatment of indigenous people by European conquerors, during Hispanic Heritage Day, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, October 12, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer
Demonstrators attempt to topple the statue of former President Jose Maria Reina Barrios during protests against the treatment of indigenous people by European conquerors, during Hispanic Heritage Day, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, October 12, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer

GUATEMALA CITY, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Protesters in Guatemala tried to topple a Christopher Columbus statue on Tuesday amid protests against the treatment of indigenous people by European conquerors, the latest effort in a global movement to re-examine symbols of the colonial era.

The demonstrations coincided with Hispanic Heritage Day, commemorated worldwide to mark Columbus’ arrival to the Americas, but which has faced criticism for not recognizing the disastrous effects on indigenous people, many of whom were enslaved or died of diseases brought by the foreigners.

In Guatemala’s capital on Tuesday, a group of people strained to dismantle a towering Columbus statue by pulling a long rope tied to its neck but could not tear it down, social media videos showed.

The monument, which stretches 30 feet (9 meters) up and weighs 10 tons, was shipped to Guatemala from Spain in 1896.

Another group of protesters succeeded in tearing away the head on a monument to former President Jose Maria Reina Barrios, who served from 1892 to 1898, after splashing it with red paint.

Daniel Pascual, a leading advocate for farmer rights, said he was on the streets for Indigenous Resistance Day, not to pay tribute to Columbus and the repressive leaders who followed.

“They were invaders and a continuation of the invasion,” he said.

Guatemala City said in a statement it opposed the “acts of vandalism” taken against monuments it described as “historical heritage.”

Columbus led several Spanish-funded expeditions from the 1490s onward, opening the way for the European conquest of the Americas. A number of statues honoring the Italian navigator have been removed from U.S. cities since the Black Lives Matter protests, as well as in other countries.

In Mexico’s capital, officials on Tuesday said a replica of a pre-Hispanic sculpture depicting an indigenous woman, dubbed “the young woman of Amajac,” will replace a bronze, 19th-century Columbus statue on the city’s main thoroughfare removed last year.

Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Sandra Maler

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Mexico City to swap Columbus statue for one of indigenous woman

Artist's rendition of Young Woman of Amajac statue
The Columbus statue will be replaced by a replica of the so-called Young Woman of Amajac

BBC- Mexico City’s governor has confirmed that a statue of an indigenous woman will replace the capital’s Christopher Columbus monument.

The statue was removed last year after indigenous rights activists threatened to tear it down.

Claudia Sheinbaum said it will be replaced by a replica of a pre-Columbian statue known as the Young Woman of Amajac.

Protesters have toppled Columbus statues in Latin America and the US.

Columbus, an Italian-born explorer who was financed by the Spanish crown to set sail on voyages of exploration in the late 15th Century, is seen by many as a symbol of oppression and colonialism as his arrival in America opened the door to the Spanish conquest.

Ms Sheinbaum’s latest announcement was made on 12 October – the anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the Americas.

In the US it is widely celebrated as Columbus Day. But in Mexico and other Latin American countries it is known as Día de la Raza (Spanish: Day of the Race). Many view it as a commemoration to native resistance against European conquest.

Municipal workers clean a statue of Christopher Columbus, which was protected by a metal fence after activists called to tear it down on social networks, in Mexico City, on October 12, 2020.Image source, AFP
Image caption, The previous statue of Columbus was daubed with paint during protests last year

Ms Sheinbaum said she wanted to make the change as part of the “decolonisation” of the famous Reforma Avenue, where an empty plinth currently stands.

She added that the new monument – set to to be three times as tall as the Columbus statue – was in recognition that “indigenous women had been the most persecuted” during and after the colonial period.

The original Young Woman of Amajac was discovered in January in Veracruz.

It is believed that the sculpture depicts a leading female member of the Huastec people at the time of its creation.

The original currently sits in Mexico City’s Anthropology Museum, which is going to create the replica.

After the city government decided to remove the Columbus statute from its plinth, a number of proposals were put forward including a statue inspired by a pre-Hispanic Olmec head.

However, it was derided as a token gesture for its lack of authenticity, prompting Ms Sheinbaum to cancel it and opt instead for the Young Woman of Amajac.

The statue of Christopher Columbus will be moved to a park in another area of Mexico City.

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Havana Syndrome Reported at US Embassy In Colombia

US officials are investigating possible cases of Havana syndrome illness in Colombia, days before a visit by the Secretary of State, US media say.

US embassy staff in Bogota may have been injured by the mysterious illness, which causes a painful sound in the ears, fatigue and dizziness.

First reported in Cuba in 2016, US diplomats around the world have since reported cases of the syndrome.

Its origins are unknown, with some speculating it is a type of weapon.

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal first reported that emails sent by US Ambassador to Colombia Philip Goldberg confirmed a number of “unexplained health incidents” or UHIs – the term used for Havana syndrome by the US government – since mid-September.

Colombian President Iván Duque told the New York Times that the country is investigating the reports. He added that the US is leading the inquiry.

Americans who have been hit by Havana syndrome have described an intense and painful sound in their ears. Some of the estimated 200 affected have been left with dizziness and fatigue for months.

More than half of those impacted were CIA employees, according to the Times.

On Friday, reports of Havana syndrome emerged at the US embassy in Berlin. President Joe Biden released a statement vowing to find “the cause and who is responsible”.

It came hours after he signed a new law that entitles the heads of the CIA and State Department to provide financial compensation to those US government employees who have been harmed by the syndrome.

A State Department official refused to confirm the reports to BBC News on Tuesday.

In a statement, the official said “we are vigorously investigating reports of AHIs wherever they are reported,” and that they are “actively working to identify the cause of these incidents and whether they may be attributed to a foreign actor”.

The news comes ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s scheduled travel to Bogota next week.

In August, Vice-President Kamala Harris delayed travel to Vietnam after two US officials were medically evacuated from the country after falling ill.

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U.S. to Lift Canada, Mexico Land Border Restrictions in Nov for Vaccinated Visitors

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WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) – The United States will lift restrictions at its land borders with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated foreign nationals in early November, ending historic curbs on non-essential travelers in place since March 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement the administration next month “will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings.”

The new rules are similar but not identical to planned requirements announced last month for international air travelers, U.S. officials said in a call earlier with reporters.

Lawmakers from U.S border states praised the move to lift the unprecedented restrictions which harmed the economies of local communities and has prevented visits to friends and families for 19 months.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, members of our shared cross-border community have felt the pain and economic hardship of the land border closures. That pain is about to end,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

Unvaccinated visitors will still be barred from entering the United States from Canada or Mexico at land borders.

The officials from President Joe Biden’s administration emphasized that the White House would not lift the “Title 42” order put in place by former President Donald Trump’s administration that has essentially cut off access to asylum for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to enter from Mexico.

The precise date in early November when the restrictions will be lifted on both land and air travel will be announced “very soon,” one of the officials said.

Homeland Security said the administration was creating “consistent, stringent protocols for all foreign nationals traveling to the United States – whether by air, land, or ferry.”

Canada on Aug. 9 began allowing fully vaccinated U.S. visitors for non-essential travel. read more

‘GREAT RELIEF’

Once the U.S. curbs are lifted, non-essential foreign visitors crossing U.S. land borders, such as tourists, will be able to visit if they are vaccinated. In early January, the United States will require essential visitors, like truck drivers or healthcare workers, to be vaccinated to cross land borders, the officials said.

U.S. lawmakers have been pushing the White House to lift restrictions that have barred non-essential travel by Canadians across the northern U.S. border since March 2020, and many border communities have been hit hard by the closure. Mexico has also pressed the Biden administration to ease restrictions.

Senator Maria Cantwell said the announcement “will provide great relief to those waiting to see friends and loved ones from Canada.”

The White House announced on Sept. 20 that the United States in early November would lift travel restrictions on air travelers from 33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It also said it would extend the vaccine requirements to foreign air travelers from all other countries.

Foreign visitors crossing into the United States by land or ferry will need to be vaccinated but will not necessarily need to show proof of vaccination unless they are referred by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for secondary inspections.

By contrast, all non-U.S. air travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding a flight, and will need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Foreign visitors crossing a land border will not need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test.

On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the United States would accept the use by international visitors of COVID-19 vaccines authorized by U.S. regulators or the World Health Organization.

One question unanswered is whether the United States will accept vaccines from visitors who received doses of two different COVID-19 vaccines.

The U.S. land border restrictions have not barred U.S. citizens from returning home.

Reporting by David Shepardson, Steve Holland, Tim Ahmann and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Eric Beech, Ana Nicolaci da Costa and Richard Pullin

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As Brazilians Flock to the U.S. Border, an Alleged Smuggler Cashes In

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Brazilian citizen Chelbe Willams Moraes writes on a document as he is expulsed from Paraguay, in an unknown location, June 7, 2021. Courtesy of Direccion General De Migraciones Paraguay/Handout via REUTERS/Files
Personnel of the General Directorate of Migration, agents of the Paraguayan office of INTERPOL and members of the Federal Police of Brazil pose for a photo, during the handover of Brazilian citizen Chelbe Willams Moraes in an unknown location, June 7, 2021. Courtesy of Direccion General De Migraciones Paraguay/Handout via REUTERS/Files

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Record numbers of Brazilians have been arrested at the U.S. southern border this year, part of the United States’ broader migration crisis. Police believe a child-custody dispute has led them to one of the smugglers moving migrants north.

In early June, Brazilian federal police arrested Chelbe Moraes, a businessman who had allegedly absconded with his three-year-old daughter when he lost custody to his ex-partner. After tapping the phones of Moraes’ associates, the officers began to suspect he was a veteran people smuggler, or “coyote.”

In a June 25 police report sent to a federal judge and seen by Reuters, they asked that criminal charges of child trafficking, human smuggling and criminal conspiracy be filed against Moraes.

Police accuse him of charging Brazilians who lack valid U.S. visas around $20,000 each to enter the United States via Mexico. To pull it off, Moraes has constructed an international network that includes corrupt cops and officials as well as U.S-based family members, the court filing says.

Reuters spoke to more than 20 people with knowledge of the case, including police, immigration officials, associates of Moraes and three people who claimed to be his clients. Those interviews paint a picture of a seasoned people smuggler whose business has thrived amid political and economic turmoil in Brazil.

Moraes, who has declared his innocence to the police, told Reuters he runs a legitimate consultancy advising people on U.S. asylum claims from his home state of Minas Gerais. He said he has served up to 200 customers over a 20-year career, charging clients who meet U.S. criteria up to 100,000 reais ($18,086) to help them migrate.

“My advice is expensive as hell, because I know American laws,” Moraes said.

During the first 11 months of the 2021 fiscal year, 46,280 Brazilians were apprehended at the southern U.S. border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show, compared with 17,893 in the whole of 2019. While that’s just a fraction of the more than 550,000 Mexicans who’ve been nabbed so far this year, Brazilians now rank No. 6 among the nationalities detained in 2021.

They’re part of a wave of Latin American migrants fleeing a region ravaged by COVID-19 and hoping for more lenient treatment since hard-line former President Donald Trump left office this year. Southern border apprehensions have jumped to their highest levels in 20 years, causing headaches for President Joe Biden.

“We’ve had flows with Brazilians in the past that I’ve seen, but not to this extent,” said Ramon Romo, chief of the Human Smuggling Unit at Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Brazilian federal prosecutors on July 7 charged Moraes, 60, with child trafficking for fleeing to neighboring Paraguay with his daughter. Moraes pleaded not guilty, saying it was a planned work trip. Now back in Brazil, Moraes remains free pending trial. No charges have been filed in connection to his suspected smuggling operation; prosecutors granted police more time to investigate Moraes’ seized cellphone, computer hard drive and other documents.

Two people familiar with his alleged racket – a former customer and an ex-associate – told Reuters that Moraes coaches his clients to pose as tourists upon arrival in Mexico, sometimes gaining them entry with the help of bribed Mexican immigration officials.

Moraes then whisks the Brazilians north, where they either jump the border with the help of hired Mexican coyotes, or seek U.S. asylum using fake documents and elaborate cover stories Moraes has devised for them, the sources said.

Mexico’s National Migration Institute, the country’s federal immigration agency, did not respond to a request for comment.

People who can prove they face persecution at home due to their race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinions may be eligible for U.S. asylum. Backlogs in U.S. immigration courts mean that those who enter often can remain in the United States for years while their cases are processed.

Moraes said those who claim he ran a smuggling operation were “induced” to do so by police or were envious of his success.

But he acknowledged benefiting from Brazil’s woes.

“The worse the government here gets, the better for me,” he said.

‘UNPRECEDENTED’

Brazilian migration to the United States has surged since 2018, when right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro was elected. Just over 1,500 Brazilians were detained at the U.S. southern border in 2018, a number that jumped 1,100% the following fiscal year.

Brazil has struggled with multiple crises on Bolsonaro’s watch. More than 600,000 Brazilians have died from COVID-19, the world’s second-highest death toll after the United States. Unemployment is around 14%, while annual inflation has hit double digits. Poverty has soared.

“The average Brazilian is disillusioned with everything,” said Daniel Fantini, the lead detective investigating Moraes.

Bolsonaro’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

To enter the United States, Brazilians must obtain a visitor visa. That process has gotten stricter due to COVID-19 and the growing number of travelers overstaying their visas, three U.S. officials told Reuters.

Many Brazilians are now turning to coyotes, according to migrants, their family members, police and officials who spoke with Reuters.

Lenilda dos Santos, a nurse from northern Brazil, died of thirst in September after crossing into New Mexico. Her brother, Leci Pereira, told Reuters she had agreed to pay $25,000 to a smuggler, pledging her house as security. The alleged smuggler, who only provides his clients with the nickname “Piskuila,” did not respond to requests for comment.

In California, CBP agents are accustomed to speaking Spanish, the language of Mexico and most of Latin America. But they are struggling to handle what the agency calls an “unprecedented” jump in Portuguese-speaking Brazilians being stopped at the border.

Diplomatic efforts are underway to slow the flow.

Brazilians don’t need visas to enter Mexico, making it easy for smugglers to fly migrants there and transport them north. The Biden administration wants Mexico to impose visa requirements on Brazilians to complicate that path, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.

The talks began in July, but Mexico has been resistant, citing lucrative Brazilian tourism and possible reciprocal action by Bolsonaro, one of the people said.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on “ongoing diplomatic discussions.”

The foreign ministries of Mexico and Brazil didn’t respond to requests for comment.

ACTIVE INVESTIGATION

After Moraes fled Brazil with his daughter, federal police interrogated his alleged associates.

Geisiane Batista, whom authorities claim handled the finances of the smuggling operation, helped Moraes run a lingerie factory in Minas Gerais, according to her deposition in the police report seen by Reuters. She told police that would-be migrants, none with U.S. visas, frequently visited the factory to meet Moraes and arrange passage.

Moraes denied Batista’s account. Batista could not be reached for comment.

Jose Martins worked as Moraes’ driver, taking migrants to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to catch flights to Mexico, he told police in his deposition. He said Moraes charged 100,000 reais to “put someone in the United States,” and offered him a commission of 1,000 reais ($181) for each new client he brought in.

Among those Martins said he transported were Ismael da Silva and his wife. An unemployed security guard, da Silva said in his deposition that he sold his car, furniture and tools to help finance their $17,000 journey.

The couple never made it. Mexican officials denied them entry after they landed in Cancun in May, da Silva told police. Contacted by Reuters, da Silva declined to comment.

Others were luckier. Martins, the driver, told police the da Silvas were part of a group of 12 Brazilian migrants on that trip, six of whom entered the United States. Martins declined to comment.

Wiretap evidence suggests Moraes relies on some U.S.-based relatives, including an adult daughter, Janaina Moraes, to help move migrants, according to the police report. Brazilian police have not accused her of wrongdoing.

Janaina Moraes, who lives near Boston, told Reuters she occasionally used her phone to manage hotel check-ins for her father’s clients, or to buy them food, but denied working for him.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson declined to comment on what she said was an active investigation.

FAKE FAMILIES

Brazilian migrant Bruno Lube, now 41, told Reuters he hired Moraes in 2016, but was caught by U.S. agents after scaling the border wall near El Paso with a Mexican coyote. He said he spent nearly five months in U.S. detention before being deported back to Brazil, where he denounced Moraes to the federal police.

A federal police spokesperson confirmed Lube’s 2017 complaint against Moraes, saying it was under investigation.

Moraes denied Lube’s allegations, saying he didn’t know him. U.S. CBP declined to comment about Lube’s alleged detention.

Moraes has had better success in helping families gain entry, according to Brazilian police and a source with knowledge of his operation.

Central Americans and Mexicans with children often are expelled to Mexico upon arriving at the U.S border as part of a U.S. policy initiated during the pandemic. In contrast, almost all Brazilians traveling with minors who arrive at the southern border seeking asylum are admitted to await their hearings on American soil.

Through August of this fiscal year, 99.2% of Brazilian family units have been allowed entry, CBP data show, compared with about 15% of Mexican families, 57% of those from Guatemala and 66% of Honduran family units. When the expulsion policy began, Mexico said it would only accept expelled Mexicans and Central Americans from the United States, but it has since taken some other nationalities.

To game the system, the source said, Moraes created fake “families” out of unrelated adults and minors, providing them with phony paperwork as well as fictitious backstories of domestic violence or gang threats to bolster their asylum claims.

Moraes denied those allegations, saying he only advised bona fide families.

($1 = 5.5292 reais)

Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter in Belo Horizonte, Brazil; additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York City, Daniela Desantis in Asunción, and Dave Graham and Frank Jack Daniel in Mexico City; editing by Marla Dickerson

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Moderna Vaccine Booster Issue, South Korea and COVID, NY Vax Exemptions, World Stats, More

Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

U.S. FDA staff say Moderna did not meet all criteria for COVID-19 boosters

Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday that Moderna Inc had not met all of the agency’s criteria to support use of booster doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, possibly because the efficacy of the shot’s first two doses has remained strong.

FDA staff said in documents that data for Moderna’s vaccine showed that a booster does increase protective antibodies, but the difference in antibody levels before and after the shot was not wide enough, particularly in those whose levels had remained high. read more

Data suggests mRNA booster dose generates stronger antibody response after J&J shot – Axios

People who received Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine will have a stronger neutralizing antibody response if they get an mRNA shot as the second dose, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a person who has seen data collected by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH will present the mix-and-match data to the FDA panel on Friday, Axios said.

J&J has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve a shot of its own single-dose vaccine as the booster dose. The FDA’s advisers are set to consider the need on Friday. There were limitations to the NIH data, according to the report. Neutralizing antibodies only prevent the virus from entering cells and replicating, and the report said it was unclear how long the response would last. read more

South Korea launches panel to debate ‘living with COVID-19‘

South Korea established a panel on Wednesday to debate a strategy on how to “live with COVID-19” in the long-term, as it seeks to phase out coronavirus restrictions and reopen the economy as vaccination levels rise.

Under the strategy, the government aims to relax coronavirus restrictions for citizens who can prove they have been fully vaccinated, while encouraging asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients aged below 70 to recover at home, the health ministry said. The government will also focus on the number of hospitalisations and deaths rather than new daily infections, and will consider not publishing the latter on a daily basis, Yonhap news agency has reported. read more

COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could ease early

New South Wales could ease more restrictions in Sydney a week earlier than planned on Oct. 18 as Australia’s most populous state races towards its 80% double-dose vaccination target, the government said on Wednesday.

The state is expected to hit the mark over the weekend, beating forecasts, and officials previously promised to relax more restrictions on vaccinated residents on the first Monday after reaching that milestone. Shops, pubs and gyms can welcome more vaccinated customers when inoculation reaches 80%. Masks will not be required in offices and nightclubs can reopen for seated drinking, while weddings can have unlimited guests. read more

New York must allow religious exemptions to vaccine mandate, judge rules

A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that New York state cannot impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on healthcare workers without allowing their employers to consider religious exemption requests.

The ruling provides a test case as vaccine mandate opponents gear up to fight plans by President Joe Biden’s administration to extend COVID-19 inoculation requirements to tens of millions of unvaccinated Americans.

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WORLD  STATS

Coronavirus Cases:

239,518,806

Deaths:

4,882,286

Recovered:

216,875,499
Highlighted in green
= all cases have recovered from the infection
Highlighted in grey
= all cases have had an outcome (there are no active cases)

[back to top ↑]

Latest News

October 13 (GMT)

Updates

  • 611 new cases and 27 new deaths in Japan [source]
  • 385 new cases an

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US: Biden Allocates 15,000 Refugee Admissions from Latin America and Caribbean

CNW- United States President Joe Biden on Friday allocated 15,000 refugee admissions from Latin America and the Caribbean “for special humanitarian concern” for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.

In a Memorandum for the Secretary of State on Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2022, Biden said he was affirming “the United States’ deeply-held commitment to welcoming refugees,” raising the overall refugee admissions target to 125,000 for the forthcoming fiscal year.

“The admission of up to 125,000 refugees to the United States during Fiscal Year 2022 is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest,” said Biden in the White House Memorandum.

Besides Latin America and the Caribbean, the US president said the admissions numbers shall be allocated among refugees of “special humanitarian concern” to the United States in accordance with the following regional allocations: Africa, 40,000; East Asia, 15,000; Europe and Central Asia, 10,000; Near East/South Asia, 35,000; and Unallocated Reserve, 10,000.

Biden said the 10,000 unallocated refugee numbers shall be allocated to regional ceilings, as needed.

“Upon providing notification to the Judiciary Committees of the Congress, you are hereby authorized to use unallocated admissions in regions where the need for additional admissions arises,” Biden told US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in the memorandum.

“Additionally, upon notification to the Judiciary Committees of the Congress, you are further authorized to transfer unused admissions allocated to a particular region to one or more other regions, if there is a need for greater admissions for the region or regions to which the admissions are being transferred,” he added.

Biden said he has determined that assistance to, or on behalf of, persons applying for admission to the United States, as part of the overseas refugee admissions program, “will contribute to the foreign policy interests of the United States”, urging Blinken to, therefore, “designate such persons for this purpose.”

The US president also said that, if otherwise qualified, persons from Cuba, Eurasia and the Baltics, Iraq, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras may be considered refugees “for the purpose of admission to the United States within their countries of nationality or habitual residence.”

In response, Blinken said in a statement that the US “is, and will continue to be, a global leader in international humanitarian response, including in refugee resettlement.

“Not only are we the largest single humanitarian donor, but we also seek to promote stability in regions experiencing crisis, advance protection and durable solutions for refugees, and facilitate international collaboration to address global refugee and humanitarian crises,” he said, disclosing that, in Fiscal Year 2020, the US provided more than US$10.5 billion in humanitarian assistance, including assistance for refugees.

In consultations with members of the US Congress, Blinken said he underscored that the State Department is “committed to rebuilding our US Refugee Admissions Program in line with our long tradition of offering hope and safe haven to those fleeing persecution.”

“We recognize the tremendous social, economic and cultural contributions refugees make to communities across the United States, and we are committed to rebuilding a robust US Refugee Admissions Program while ensuring its integrity and protecting our national security interests,” the US Secretary of State said.

“A robust refugee admissions program is a cornerstone of the president’s commitment to rebuilding a safe, orderly and humane migration system,” he added.

But, amid the Haitian refugee and migration crises, the Biden administration last week announced new immigration enforcement priorities.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said the new Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law aims to “better focus the department’s resources on the apprehension and removal of noncitizens who are a threat to our national security, public safety, and border security and advance the interests of justice by ensuring a case-by-case assessment of whether an individual poses a threat.”

“For the first time, our guidelines will, in the pursuit of public safety, require an assessment of the individual and take into account the totality of the facts and circumstances,” Mayorkas said.

He said enforcement priorities for apprehension and removal remain focused on noncitizens who are a threat to US national security, public safety and border security.

But he said the guidelines are a break from a “categorical approach to enforcement.

“They require an assessment of the individual and the totality of the facts, and circumstances to ensure resources are focused most effectively on those who pose a threat,” said the US Homeland Security Secretary.

“There is also recognition that the majority of the more than 11 million undocumented or otherwise removable noncitizens in the United States have been contributing members of our communities across the country for years,” he added. “The fact an individual is a removable noncitizen will not alone be the basis of an enforcement action against them. The department’s personnel are to use their discretion and focus the department’s enforcement resources in a more targeted way.”

Last week, Mayorkas with Haitian Ambassador to the United States Bocchit Edmond to discuss the nations’ continued cooperation.

“I appreciated the opportunity to speak directly with Ambassador Edmond about our shared commitment to ensuring that Haitian migrants are treated with dignity and respect,” Mayorkas said.  “I look forward to continuing to work with the government of Haiti and other partners throughout the hemisphere as we work toward safe, orderly and humane management of migration in the region.”

Mayorkas thanked the Government of Haiti for supporting the safe return and re-integration of Haitian nationals.

He said he and Edmond agreed that “much work remains to be done to address the drivers of migration,” and that both acknowledged that “the displacement of people is a global crisis and needs worldwide attention.”

Mayorkas said he assured the Haitian ambassador that “the dignified and humane treatment of all individuals, regardless of their immigration status, is his top priority.”

The Secretary also said he shared that the investigation into mistreatment of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas, is ongoing.

Last week, a Haitian legislator in Brooklyn, New York dispatched a letter to Biden, appealing to him to stop the deportation of Haitian migrants and to end what he described as “the cruel treatment of Haitians.”

“I remain deeply troubled by the treatment of Haitian immigrants arriving at the Texas border as they travel north through South America and are subsequently being deported back to Haiti,” said New York City Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene, the first Haitian to be elected to the City Council, in his letter to Biden.

“Since 2010, Haiti has been subjected to several natural disasters, including tropical storms, two catastrophic earthquakes that caused significant devastation, and continued political unrest and socioeconomic instability,” added Dr. Eugene, chair of the Council Committee on Civil and Human Rights, who represents the predominantly 40th Council District in Brooklyn.

“As I have stated on many occasions, Haiti is not prepared to handle an influx of deportees,” continued Eugene in his letter, a copy of which was made available to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). “The country is hurting, and the Haitian people are struggling every day to cope with a substantial amount of personal loss, including emotional and physical trauma, and financial uncertainty.”

The legislator said the Haitian refugees, who are traveling through Mexico into Texas, are “enduring extremely unsafe living conditions and are putting their lives at risk.

“They are human beings, and they have embarked on a very dangerous and treacherous journey to reach what they hope is a safe and stable environment,” he said. “I am urging you to stop their deportation, to help them, and to give Haitian immigrants the due process that they are entitled to.”

Earlier this month, New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general across the United States in dispatching a letter to Biden and Mayorkas expressing deep concern over the treatment of thousands of Haitian refugees currently seeking humanitarian aid along the border in Texas.

The coalition also urged the administration to reevaluate its rush to unfairly expel refugees to Haiti.

Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke had also joined her Massachusetts congressional colleague, Ayanna Soyini Pressley, in expressing deep concern over the resignation of US Special Envoy to Haiti Daniel Foote amid Washington’s decision to deport thousands of Haitian migrants at the Texas border.

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, and Pressley are co-chairs of the US House of Representatives’ Haiti Caucus.

Clarke represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, while Pressley represents Massachusetts’s 7th Congressional District.

“The Haitian state is still reeling from a series of compounding and emergent crises,” said Clarke and Pressley in a joint statement. “It is unconscionable the administration would choose to deport refugees to Haiti in its current capacity, and it must immediately reverse course and halt these cruel deportations indefinitely.”

CMC

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CNN’s Jim Acosta Calls Trump Comments on Haitian Migrants ‘Twisted and Evil’

by Bevan Hurley

The Independent

CNN’s Jim Acosta has labelled former President Donald Trump’s remarks that Haitian migrants “probably have Aids” as “twisted and evil”

“I’m sorry, you can’t listen to what he just said about Haitian migrants and say it’s not evil,” the CNN anchor said on his weekend show.

Speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News last week, Mr Trump made several unfounded claims about immigrants.

“So we have hundreds of thousands of people flowing in from haiti“>Haiti. Haiti has a tremendous Aids problem. Aids is a step beyond. Aids is a real bad problem.”

Acosta pointed out the statement was incorrect, with Aids rates in Haiti having declined steeply in the last 15 years after a targeted United Nations programme in the country.

Trump’s raving about Haitians having HIV/AIDS is the basest kind of old-school racismTrump’s raving about Haitians having HIV/AIDS is the basest kind of old-school racism

Mr Trump’s “bullying” and “lies” were having a broader impact on the national discourse, Acosta added, with many of his supporters feeling emboldened to threaten people they disagreed with.

“When we become a nation of bullies and the bullied, don’t be surprised if the Bully-in-Chief makes a comeback,” he said.

He asked whether Republican lawmakers such as Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa could “feel the darkness of his soul” when they stand beside the former president at his rallies.

“It feels cold doesn’t it.”

He also called out former Trump acolytes such as Steve Bannon for their support of the “Big Lie” that the election was stolen.

“If the bullies and their enablers can continue to gaslight us with their lies about horse paste and bamboo ballots, then no wonder the Bully-in-Chief is plotting his comeback.”

His comments caused a stir on social media, drawing some positive feedback.

According to the UNAIDS, 150,000 Haitians are living with HIV out of a population of more than 10 million or around 2 per cent.

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U.S. Issues ‘Do Not Travel’ Advisories For 15 Caribbean Countries, SKN is One of Them

ByAKyle Hulme

The United States State Department has currently issued a total of 15 Level 4 “Do Not Travel” travel advisories to countries in the Caribbean. While they may not be a legal hurdle that will prevent many from traveling, it could have repercussions for tourists looking to purchase insurance before heading to one of these destinations, with many providers not offering coverage to those planning to visit a Level 4 country.

saint lucia beach

As well as the 15 Level 4 travel advisory warnings, several other Caribbean nations have been handed the slightly level severe Level 3 warnings, while others the low Level 2 travel advisory notice. Here’s a look at which Caribbean destinations have been assigned with warning levels, the impact that it could have on travelers, and why travelers shouldn’t go canceling their travel plans just yet. 

caribbean snorkling

The Caribbean’s Travel Advisory Levels – What Travelers Should Know

The Caribbean is a region that is home to a lot of countries that have been deemed to be Level 4. These countries are:

Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Sint Maarten, Saint Kitts, and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. 

st lucia mountains

The Caribbean is also home to a number of Level 3 countries, such as Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines, Turks, and Caicos, and Trinidad and Tobago, whilst the Dominican Republic is only a Level 2 country. Those heading to Level 3 countries are told to “reconsider travel,” whilst Level 2 destinations come with an “exercise increased caution” warning.

woman beach caribbean

Travel advisory warning levels are determined by taking into consideration a number of factors that could place travelers in danger. Such factors include crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, health, natural disaster, serious weather concerns, and current events.

At present, Covid-19 is a major factor in deciding the warning level of a country, with Level 4 countries typically having a large number of cases or a lack of adequate facilities and infrastructure to deal with a significant outbreak. Whilst warnings cannot legally prevent a traveling from booking a flight and heading to a location, they can pose other problems.

flamingo beach aruba

What Does This Mean For Travelers?

Level 4 travel warnings are bad news for travelers who’ve already booked pre-planned and prebooked winter vacations to some of these Caribbean destinations. This is because many American-based travel insurance companies will not cover travel to countries currently under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory. Thankfully, some insurance providers still offer beefy insurance policies that cover countries with a  Level 4 warning, with policies that also ensure you’re covered for both cruising and Covid-19.

Global travel insurance provider HeyMondo has a range of policies that cover medical expenses to due illness resulting from a Covid-19 infection, and they even cover accommodation costs if the policy holder is ordered to quarantine.  Not only that, but they also offer Covid-19 coverage for medical care on board a cruise ship – which is a very common request for many Caribbean travelers this year, given that so many ships are departing from Caribbean ports once more.

Whilst visiting a Level 4 country is bound to have its risks, following good hygiene and health and safety practices can help mitigate these risks and having a solid travel insurance plan can take the stress out of it and allow travelers to enjoy their vacation, with one less thing to worry about. Travelers should ensure they read the travel advisory pages for each destination before they visit in order to be aware of the situation in the country.

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Cops Find 32 Cuban Migrants in Truck Hauling a Boat

A traffic stop on U.S. 1 in Marathon early Monday morning led to the discovery of 32 suspected Cuban migrants, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The department said a sergeant with the sheriff’s office stopped a rental truck hauling a boat near 107th Street after noticing that it was traveling below the speed limit.

Inside the truck were four adults and three young children. The children, ages 1, 4 and 5, were not wearing seat belts or in car seats, according to the sheriff’s office. The sergeant also noted that there was an “overwhelming smell of saltwater and body odor.” #

And in the boat? There were more than two dozen people hiding in a room in the bow of the boat, the sheriff’s office said. Among those found: a 17-year-old and two pregnant women.

The driver of the truck, Reidel Garcia-Espino, 29, of Seffner, Florida, was arrested and charged with child neglect because the children were not restrained. Garcia-Espino told deputies they went fishing — but according to the sheriff’s office there was no gear in the boat.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations agents, along with Key Colony Beach Police and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, responded.

The suspected migrants were taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

It has been a busy few days for the Border Patrol in the Keys. On Sunday morning, a group of 17 people from Cuba came ashore on Smathers Beach in Key West. A Key West resident captured footage of the landing on his cellphone camera. ##

Also on Sunday, four Cuban migrants arrived near Bahia Honda State Park near Big Pine Key, which is about 36 miles north of Key West.

On Thursday, a group of 13 Cuban migrants were taken into custody shortly after they arrived in Big Pine Key. Maritime migration from Cuba to South Florida has spiked substantially this year.

Federal officials track migration by the fiscal year, which begins and ends in October. In all of fiscal year 2020, the Coast Guard said it stopped a total of 49 people from Cuba attempting to make the dangerous journey across the Florida Straits. In fiscal year 2021, the number was just shy of 840 people, according to the Coast Guard.

 

 

A traffic stop on U.S. 1 in Marathon early Monday morning led to the discovery of 32 suspected Cuban migrants, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The department said a sergeant with the sheriff’s office stopped a rental truck hauling a boat near 107th Street after noticing that it was traveling below the speed limit. Inside the truck were four adults and three young children. The children, ages 1, 4 and 5, were not wearing seat belts or in car seats, according to the sheriff’s office. The sergeant also noted that there was an “overwhelming smell of saltwater and body odor.” And in the boat? There were more than two dozen people hiding in a room in the bow of the boat, the sheriff’s office said. Among those found: a 17-year-old and two pregnant women. How to eat like a local in Miami Search by neighborhood and by the type of food you’re craving Read More The driver of the truck, Reidel Garcia-Espino, 29, of Seffner, Florida, was arrested and charged with child neglect because the children were not restrained. Garcia-Espino told deputies they went fishing — but according to the sheriff’s office there was no gear in the boat. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations agents, along with Key Colony Beach Police and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, responded. The suspected migrants were taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It has been a busy few days for the Border Patrol in the Keys. On Sunday morning, a group of 17 people from Cuba came ashore on Smathers Beach in Key West. A Key West resident captured footage of the landing on his cellphone camera. Also on Sunday, four Cuban migrants arrived near Bahia Honda State Park near Big Pine Key, which is about 36 miles north of Key West. Thank you for supporting local journalism Your subscription allows us to provide our readers with quality, relevant journalism that makes a difference. We believe a platform for sharing local news is critical to our community – and we’re glad you think so, too. Have questions about your subscription? We’re happy to help. Contact us On Thursday, a group of 13 Cuban migrants were taken into custody shortly after they arrived in Big Pine Key. Maritime migration from Cuba to South Florida has spiked substantially this year. Federal officials track migration by the fiscal year, which begins and ends in October. In all of fiscal year 2020, the Coast Guard said it stopped a total of 49 people from Cuba attempting to make the dangerous journey across the Florida Straits. In fiscal year 2021, the number was just shy of 840 people, according to the Coast Guard.

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article254934522.html#storylink=cpy

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