Canadians of Haitian origin from Toronto have lived in anxiety since US President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of the Process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans program [CHNV, Processus de libération conditionnelle pour les Cubains, les Haïtiens, les Nicaraguayens et les Vénézuéliens, traduction libre]which allowed more than half a million migrants, including thousands of Haitians, to live legally in the United States.
Federal judge Indira Talwani temporarily blocked this cancellation on Monday.
Despite everything, uncertainty eats up the community.
I have friends USA who benefited from the program [instauré par l’ex-président Joe Biden] And who now live in fear, stress. They live fear in the stomach
said Johane Marcellus, a Canadian of Haitian origin living in Toronto for 14 years, during an interview on Sunday. She participated in an Easter mass at the Saint-Louis-de-France parish of the neighborhood North York.
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Mass took place at the Saint-Louis-de-France parish, in the North York district of Toronto.
Photo : Radio-Canada
The program in question had enabled around 532,000 migrants to enter legally in the United States. Without the emergency suspension ordered by judge Talwani, these people should have left the country by April 24.
However, according to Raoul Boulakia, lawyer specializing in asylum and immigration law, public security problems in Haiti are important.
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Raoul Boulakia is an immigration lawyer.
Photo : Radio-Canada
He claims that people who are forced to return to the country may be Kidnapped, raped, tortured, killed. There have even been public executions to show civil society that people who do not support gangs can be killed
.
Return to Haiti, unthinkable
Jean Bertho Rémy, who arrived in the country seven months ago, feels privileged to be in Canada. In Canada, I feel like I was at home, in Haiti
he said on Sunday, during Easter Mass.
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Jean Bertho Rémy says he is worried.
Photo : Radio-Canada
This father of two girls, who worked at the Haiti consulate in the Dominican Republic before coming to Canada, nevertheless includes the position of the president Trump. It is certain that his country has migratory laws, it is necessary to respect his decision
he recognized during an interview on the spot, while adding that the American president is too fast
.
In addition, for Mr. Rémy, the situation in Haiti is catastrophic. People do not know what saint to dedicate themselves to. They are in fear.
With us, it is sad to say it, but it is the truth with the gangs that terrorize the population morning, noon, evening. And the government is unable to respond to the insurance of bandits. [Les gangs] control everything in Port-au-Prince, they occupy almost 90% of the territory
he explained.
Ms. Marcellus is also worried.
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Johane Marcellus says he has relatives who live in uncertainty due to cancellation, then the suspension of the cancellation of their status in the United States.
Photo : Radio-Canada
My big brother is in Haiti. He goes to work one or two days a week with fear in the stomach because we leave home, we do not know if we will be able to come back
she explained, evoking the catastrophic situation in her country of origin where The gangs have invaded three -quarters of the territory
.
Me Boulakia confirms that many Haitians of origin who are in the United States hope to cross the border to Canada. I receive calls almost every day, either people who have arrived here because they have family here, or who are still in the United States and uncertain if they want to flee in Canada or wait and see what would happen to them in the United States.
He would like that the federal government more easily recognizes refugee status for Haitians
he said on Sunday. Reality is that Haitians are easily integrated into Canada
.
According to information from Andréane Williams
