Over 900 Haitians have been repatriated since February 21, 2004 despite the political chaos and violence in Haiti.  The Bush administration has defended its repatriation policy by saying that it is a necessary course of action to deter an exodus of Haitian refugees.  Immigration advocates criticized the President for his lack of concern for Haitians.

Executive Director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center stated that President Bush’s “message to Haitians is clear: ‘Haitian, your lives don’t count.’  At the same time that we are urging US citizens to immediately leave Haiti and we are sending in Marines to protect the embassy, we are repatriating Haitians without due process to a country with no rule of law.”

Lawmakers have proposed helping Haitians who arrive in the US.   Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) said that any Haitians intercepted at sea should be given the chance to apply for refugee status.  On March 1, 2004, Representative Peter Deutsch (D-FL) introduced legislation to allow Haitians to be granted temporary protected status.

Haitian-Americans have stated that President Bush has lost their support for his reelection campaign for not helping the fleeing Haitians and for not doing enough to help Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

While the US is refusing to allow most of these Haitians claim refugee status, other countries are refusing to return the Haitians to their home country.  Over 100 Haitians fled to Jamaica, whose government refuses to return them to Haiti due to “the present environment of upheaval and mayhem,” according to a spokesman from Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security.

During the month of February, the US Coast Guard picked up 704 Haitians at sea, compared with 157 in February 2003.  As a result, the Coast Guard has formed a blockade of ships to keep Haitians from fleeing violence in their country.  The blockade has infuriated human rights groups who say the blockade is discriminatory and illegal.  Human Rights Watch and other activist groups said sending Haitians back while fighting continues violates international protocols barring the return of refugees to a place where their lives or freedom are in danger.

This week, the Coast Guard intercepted and returned to Haiti 11 people in a sailboat off the Florida coast, and returned three Haitians picked up earlier who had been interviewed but found to have no credible fear of danger in their homeland.