Biden’s Special Envoy for Haiti Ambassador Daniel Foote resigned Thursday, saying he will not take part in the United States’ “inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees,” amid a surge in migrants from Haiti across the southern border.
In his resignation letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, first reported by PBS News Thursday, Foote said the Biden administration’s approach to Haiti “remains deeply flawed,” and said his recommendations have been “ignored and dismissed.”
“With deep disappointment and apologies to those seeking crucial changes, I resign from my position as Special Envoy for Haiti, effective immediately,” Foote, a career member of the foreign service, wrote. “I will not be associated with the United States inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees and illegal immigrants to Haiti, a country where American officials are confined to secure compounds because of the danger posed by armed gangs in control of daily life.”
“Our policy approach to Haiti remains deeply flawed, and my recommendations have been ignored and dismissed, when not edited to project a narrative different than my own,” he added.
Foote was appointed to his post in July, following the assassination of Haiti’s president.
Foote, in his resignation letter, described the “suffering” of the people of Haiti, and said that the country “simply cannot support the forced infusion of thousands of returned migrants lacking food, shelter, and money without additional, avoidable human tragedy.”
“Surging migrants to our borders will only grow as we add to Haiti’s unacceptable misery,” he wrote.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed Foote’s resignation to Fox News, and thanked him for “his service in this role.”
“The United States remains committed to supporting safe, orderly, and humane migration throughout our region, and we engage with partners throughout the migratory corridor to impress upon them our shared responsibility for humane migration management, which includes enforcing migration laws and protecting vulnerable populations,” the spokesperson said. “To address the immediate challenges that returnees face, the United States is working with the International Organization on Migration to ensure that returning Haitian migrants are met at the airport and provided with immediate assistance.”
The State Department spokesperson said they are “working to identify ways to provide more comprehensive assistance going forward. Over the long-term, the U.S. government is committed to working with the Haitian government and stakeholders across Haiti to strengthen democratic governance and the rule of law, increase inclusive economic growth, and improve security and the protection of human rights in Haiti.”
More than 14,000 Haitian migrants have camped under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, after a surge in border crossings, with reports of tens of thousands more on the way.