Failing the Test: how US policy is harming Haitian asylum-seekers

People from Haiti have been migrating across the Americas for over a decade, and since late 2020 have been arriving in greater numbers at the US/MX border. Their journey is emblematic of the increasing displacement of many peoples throughout the Americas.

But the experience of the Haitian community is also unique because anti-black racism in government policies and discrimination by local communities adds a layer of trauma to their already painful journey.

The Missionary Society of St. Columban welcomes and accompanies Haitian migrants on the US/MX border in Ciudad Juarez. In this short documentary, we want to share with you the stories of Haitian asylum seekers speaking for themselves. Alongside them, Columban Fr. Bill Morton and Cynthia Gonzalez unpack the root causes that have led to this moment.

A basic moral test of any society is how our most vulnerable members are faring. The response of the US government towards Haitian asylum seekers is a clear indication that right now we're failing that test.