Haiti: ‘I was deported to a country I never lived in’
February 3, 2025
By: [Author’s Name]
Port-au-Prince, Haiti – In the chaotic aftermath of Haiti’s devastating earthquake, thousands of Haitians have been deported from the United States, many of them to countries they have never even visited.
One such deportee is Jean-Robert Jean, who was born in Haiti but has lived in the United States since he was a child. He was deported to Ghana on January 15, 2025, even though he has never been to the country before.
“I was born in Haiti, I grew up in the United States, and I have never been to Ghana,” Jean said in a phone interview from Accra, Ghana. “I don’t know anyone here. I don’t speak the language. I don’t have any money. I don’t have any place to stay. I’m completely lost.”
Jean is one of many Haitians who have been deported to countries they have never lived in since the earthquake. The Trump administration has been criticized for its harsh immigration policies, which have led to a sharp increase in the number of deportations.
In 2017, the Trump administration ended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Haitians, which allowed them to live and work in the United States. This decision has made it easier for the government to deport Haitians, even those who have been living in the country for decades.
Jean said he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on January 10, 2025, while he was on his way to work. He was taken to a detention center in Florida, where he was held for five days before being deported.
Jean said he was never given a hearing before a judge and was not allowed to speak to an attorney. He said he was simply told that he was being deported to Ghana because he was not a legal resident of the United States.
“I tried to explain to them that I was born in Haiti and that I have never been to Ghana, but they didn’t believe me,” Jean said. “They just put me on a plane and sent me away.”
Jean is now living in a shelter in Accra with other Haitians who have been deported. He said he is trying to find a way to return to the United States, but he is not sure how he will do it.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Jean said. “I don’t have any family or friends here. I don’t know the language. I don’t have any money. I’m just lost.”
The Haitian government has condemned the deportations, calling them “inhumane and illegal.” The United Nations has also expressed concern about the deportations, saying that they are a violation of international law.
The Trump administration has defended the deportations, saying that they are necessary to protect the United States from illegal immigration. However, critics say that the deportations are cruel and unjust, and that they are tearing families apart.
Haiti: ‘I was deported to a country I never lived in’
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Human Rights a new article on 2025-02-03 12:00 titled “Haiti: ‘I was deported to a country I never lived in’”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
6