The Caribbean Diaspora Population Reacts to the New Administration

The Caribbean diaspora population in the United States is not immune to the hysteria surrounding Donald Trump’s alarming policy proposals concerning immigration and international affairs. Many Caribbean news organizations feature stories about the threat of Donald Trump. These policies have caused concern for the well-being of Caribbean immigrants residing in the United States and for their relatives abroad. Although Trump’s focus on illegal immigration has been from Mexico, all undocumented immigrants would be affected by his aggressive calls for mass deportations and revoking visas. Caribbean immigrants have expressed rapidly growing concerns over those residing in the United States illegally. One of the Trump Administration’s most imperative and appalling agendas has been controlling illegal immigration. However, the Administration’s foreign policy stances have also frightened Caribbean immigrants because international aid to nations such as Haiti can be significantly reduced. Transnational links between Caribbean immigrants in the United States and their relatives have caused anxiety in both regions in response to Trump’s actions.

Trump’s continuing promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants will soon apply to thousands of undocumented Haitian immigrants that currently reside in the United States. After Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010, many Haitians applied for and received protected status from the Department of Homeland Security, which was extended after Hurricane Matthew until July 2017. Those with this special status are safe until then, but they soon face deportation in July like millions of other undocumented immigrants. Furthermore, those living in cities that are not sanctuary cities face an even greater threat. Cities like New York City and Boston have promised to protect undocumented immigrants while some cities like Miami, which has a large Haitian population, vow to comply with the law. For those immigrants who are not deported, their lives are almost guaranteed to become much more difficult in the Trump era, which is categorized with anti-immigrant rhetoric. Many immigrants have been and will continue to be victims of prejudice and racism. Trump’s new executive order targeting criminal aliens will “isolate and stigmatize immigrants from all countries, making it harder to live, and thrive, in the US.” [1].

Caribbean immigrants across the New York City are shaken by these recent events and have expressed real concerns for their relatives. This was found in a comment section
under The Haitian Times article “Shockwaves Of Trump’s Turbulent First Week Likely To Reach Haiti”:

Joan Pinnock, a member of the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board in the US, expressed the terror felt by Jamaicans and other Caribbean natives in reaction to the executive orders in an audio clip posted on RJR News, a Jamaican media organization [5]. A full interview was posted onto Youtube [9]:

Transnational links between the Caribbean diaspora population in the United States and their relatives abroad allow for frequent communication between the two regions. The Grenada Broadcasting Network posted a video on their Youtube channel discussing the implications of Grenadians being deported from the United States. This is an example of how those abroad are concerned about American politics for sake of their relatives:

As a result of Trump’s executive orders and the inevitability of more to come, local politicians have taken action to make the Caribbean immigrant population feel safer. Brooklyn Senator Jesse Hamilton declared his office to be a “Sanctuary Senate District” to provide services to and protect the rights of immigrants [2]. Brooklyn Council Member Mathieu Eugene launched a petition urging the renewal of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians under it following recent natural disasters. He hopes to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Haiti and protect those living here under the status from deportation [6]. This reflects the concern Haitians have for their relatives abroad and for those here that are undocumented. Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke attacked the Trump Administration for its divisive and vicious policies, calling them “dangerous” [3]. She also denounced Trump’s travel ban against seven predominantly Muslim nations and warned that this could affect Muslim populations in the Caribbean. She proclaimed: “I will resist, and I call on my colleagues in Congress and people of good faith across the United States to join me in resistance to this act of hate.” [4]. Actions like these are attempts to rally up and unify the Caribbean diaspora population, despite originating from different countries.

Through transnational links, Caribbean immigrants in the United States have remained involved in the affairs and activities of their motherlands. Current events abroad have become topics of discussion and concern in Caribbean immigrant households through technology and the internet, a major medium for transnationalism. Caribbean immigrants both with and without legal status already fear for the well-being of themselves and their undocumented neighbors because of the Administration’s harsh soon-to-be implemented immigration policies. Immigrants now fear for their relatives abroad and for the state of their native lands as well because of the Trump Administration’s international affairs policies. These policies in question could affect the condition of various nations in the Caribbean, such as Haiti. The Administration seeks to significantly decrease the amount of funding for international aid in its long list of budget cuts. Humanitarian organizations working worldwide, in Haiti especially, can lose large portions of their funding. The United Nations would be thwarted in its projects to stabilize nations suffering from natural disasters and other crises. Haiti critically depends on UN agencies such as UNICEF, the World Food Program, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank, and World Health Organization as it is continues to recover from Hurricane Matthew and the cholera epidemic. Haiti also relies on PEPFAR, a fund that assists with AIDS control, which the Trump Administration does not view favorably [1].

The Haitian Times serves as a “voice for Haitian Diaspora,” appealing to a Haitian audience worldwide. Their slogan, “Bridging the Gap,” summarizes its purpose to connect and unify the Haitian diaspora population dispersed around the world [7]. The Trump Administration has certainly been a major issue for the news outlet. This article highlights the scope of the Administration’s effects on the United States and the rest of the world [1]. Other opinion pieces (shown below) on the homepage criticize and mock Trump and can appeal to a broader audience. All of these articles, however, express the deep concerns and fear that Haitians and other Caribbean groups experience.