Thursday, May 14, 2009

Haitians migrants dead in boat capsizing

Tragedy in the waters off of Florida as at least ten Haitian migrants were killed yesterday when their boat overturned.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the migrants were apparently trying to go to the U.S. illegally from the Bahamas when their vessel capsized on Wednesday. The boat was allegedly overloaded in what officials claim to be a smuggling operation. Sadly, authorities admitted that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue.

Despite the myriad of difficulties in Haiti, U.S immigration policy has been largely inhumane in the treatment of migrants from that Caribbean county. It is an injustice that two legislators (Sen. Edward Kennedy and Rep. Barney Frank) are trying to right by pushing temporary protected status for Haitians.

Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, AP, AFP, YouTube, UPI, Reuters

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