Through the Livewire blog written by Amnesty International staff, we learn that two months after the massive earthquake in Haiti, things are still worse than ever.
"People are without water, food, sanitation, or shelter."As government institutions have collapsed, people are living under tarps and in camps outside, and there has been a growing problem of sexual violence toward women (many of the victims, minors). There is a desperate need for shelter, especially before the rainy season. Ducos blogs that even with the death and destruction surrounding them, a baby is born in the unsanitary and dangerous conditions the night before they arrive in Port-au-Prince. Born on the dirt, with no sanitary or sterilized tools or linens, no clean water, and surrounded by mosquitoes, garbage and flies.
While those in Haiti continue to struggle, the U.S. government announced eligibility for Haitians living in the U.S. to apply for temporary protected status just days after the quake. However, most Haitians living here illegally have not applied for the status. One reason could be the fear and mistrust of government in the consequences, but another major problem in the cost. The fees for going the legal route surpass what many can afford. The fee to apply for temporary protected status is $500, a large amount of money for immigrants who probably do not make much money to begin with, or who need to use the money to send direct aid to their family in Haiti. There is a way to get the fee waived, but a financial paper trail must be followed, which many undocumented immigrants are not able to present.
Online Source: The New York Times, Amnesty International (Livewire)
Image Source: Pizza Fusion
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