Recent violence and political unrest in Haiti have not yet led to a spike in maritime migration in the Caribbean Sea that would trigger contingency plans to house migrants at Guantanamo Bay, according to U.S. officials. Gang violence and unrest in Haiti have prompted the country’s prime minister to flee and announce his intention to step down once a transitional government is organized, resulting in a humanitarian crisis and displacing thousands of Haitians. Despite this, the U.S. government has not seen a significant increase in migrant arrivals at Guantanamo Bay.
For decades, the U.S. has had contingency plans in place to respond to mass migration events in the Caribbean Sea, including housing migrants at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The base has been used to screen asylum-seekers for years, separate from the detention center where terrorism suspects are held. The U.S. officials stated that additional structures, such as tents, could be set up in Guantanamo Bay to house migrants if needed. However, the U.S. policy remains focused on repatriating migrants intercepted at sea and preventing them from reaching American shores.
The Coast Guard has continued to repatriate migrants to Haiti, with 65 Haitians being repatriated last week and thousands in previous fiscal years. U.S. officials are concerned about a potential increase in Haitians attempting to reach the U.S. by sea, citing the dangers of such journeys and potential strain on screening facilities at Guantanamo Bay. Rules disqualifying Haitians and Cubans caught at sea from entering the U.S. through a Biden administration program have also been enacted. Despite concerns, irregular migration flows remain low, potentially due to limited commercial options to depart Haiti safely.
The State Department has issued security alerts to U.S. citizens in Haiti and offered assistance to those seeking to leave the country. A U.S. government-chartered aircraft recently departed from Cap-Haitien with over 30 American citizens on board. U.S. citizens in Haiti have been asked to indicate whether they plan to leave on their own or need assistance, including loans, help with travel documents, or arranging commercial flights. The U.S. government continues to monitor the situation in Haiti and remains prepared to respond to any potential increase in maritime migration.
