Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, said that she was outraged by photographs showing Haitian migrants being whipped at the border with Mexico. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
Kamala Harris, VP, said that she was outraged by photos of Haitian refugees being whipped at the border by officers riding on horses.
Harris, while avoiding direct questions about deportation policies and comparing the images to "times in slavery", said that Harris did not intend to answer them directly.
The Biden administration continues to deport thousands of Haitians who want asylum in the USA.
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Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, criticized border patrol officers for whipping Haitian refugees at Texas' border. She called the treatment "deeply troubling" as well as evocative "some of our worst moments in history."
Last week, images circulated of Haitian refugees trying to seek asylum crossing the border in Del Rio (Texas) as Department of Homeland Security agents mounted on horseback charged them. One instance saw a US Border Patrol officer shouting "this is why you country's shit!" at immigrants.
Harris described the images, which included one of an officer whipping people, as "horrible" and "deeply troubling." Harris said she was outraged by the images.
Harris stated that human beings shouldn't be treated this way and that it evoked images of some the worst moments in our history when that kind of behavior was used against indigenous peoples of our country. Harris also spoke on ABC's The View Friday.
After a year that was marked by a devastating earthquake, assassination and COVID-19 pandemics, the Biden administration continues to deport thousands more asylum-seeking Haitians.
Harris evaded a question by ABC's Sara Haines asking if the Biden administration would stop deportations and allow refugees who apply for asylum to apply.
Some of the 12,000 migrants who had been camping along the border bridge were deported by the US last week.
"I feel strongly, and the president feels strongly that we have to do more. There's no question. The United States is part of the Western Hemisphere. Harris stated that Haiti is our neighbor in this regard. He also said that Haiti is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake that struck the country and the assassination attempt on the Haitian president.
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Harris stated that the administration granted Temporary Protected status to more than 150,000 Haitian immigrants in May 2020. This designation protects US-born immigrants. Since then, thousands of Haitians have attempted to cross the US border with Mexico even though they are not eligible for TPS.
The Biden administration has resumed deportations in accordance with Title 42. This Trump-era policy, which was used to deport immigrants and prevent them from applying for asylum, was implemented by the Biden administration this week. NBC News reported that Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, said Friday that all Haitian migrants were cleared from Del Rio. Mayorkas stated that about 2,000 of the 15,000 migrants who were present at the border were flown back home to Haiti, while 12,400 others are still in the US, awaiting asylum applications.
Mayorkas stated that there are no migrants left in the camp at the International Bridge. "Migrants are being expelled as per the Title 42 authority of the CDC. Title 42 is not an immigration policy but a public health authority. It is important to remember that Title 42 can be applied to irregular migration and is currently applicable.
Top Democrats have criticised the Biden administration and compared President Joe Biden with his predecessor, Joe Biden, who passed the law shortly before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The Biden administration has vigorously used the law to address the border crisis.
Harris advised Guatemalan immigrants to avoid moving to the US in June.
"I want to make it clear to anyone in the region that is thinking of making the dangerous trek to Mexico-USA border: Don't come. Harris advised that you do not travel.
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