Thread: Protest held in Pompano Beach against U.S. policy on Haitian

Protest held in Pompano Beach against U.S. policy on Haitians
Hundreds in Pompano Beach seek Obama administration's attention
By Aiyana Baida | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 1, 2009

Pompano Beach - Hundreds of Haitians and supporters gathered to protest current U.S. immigration law and urge President Barack Obama and his administration to grant temporary protection status to the more than 30,000 illegal Haitian immigrants living in the United States.

Haiti's poverty has long hurt its people but after Hurricane Gustav struck the island in August 2008, thousands were left homeless without food, running water and electricity.

Under current immigration law, the 600 Haitians being held at the Broward Transitional Center on Powerline Road, where the protest was held, will be sent back to even more dire conditions.

Edwige Telemaque, host of the Palm Beach County radio show Haiti America International, said the Haitian community is one of the only immigrant communities that has met the conditions for temporary protection status but has not been granted it.



"We have had four hurricanes that have left us with no security and no food," Telemaque said, "We are not looking for the U.S. to give us anything. We just want what everyone else has — freedom."

Shay Charles, 15, at the protest with her mother and five sisters, said she hopes their voices would reach Obama.

"My step-dad is in Canada and hasn't seen my little sister, Shakayla," Shay said about the 2-month-old sitting in a baby carriage. "We just want him to be home with us."

Her mother Alita Polydor has sought legal counsel to help them unite their family. "I hope we can bring him home legally," Polydor said. She is one of thousands of broken families affected by current immigration laws.

Richard Champagne, a Haitian American who is president of Haitian Lawyers Association, led a coalition of civil and immigration lawyers whose message, "What do we want — TPS!" shouted with a bullhorn, could be heard two blocks away.

Jonel Lemy, an association lawyer who has defended deportees, said he has seen an increase in cases in the last six months.

"Arrests are up. People are being arrested as they drop their kids off at school or on their way to work," Lemy said.

"We will continue to protest and take our message to Washington and we expect President Obama to support us," he added.

The protest brought local Haitian performers together and had an unexpected visit from singers Wycelf and Melky Jean.

The siblings, who have each founded their own organizations that provide aid to Haiti, are taking their message nationally in an effort to have temporary protection status given to their community.

"To help Haiti you can't deport 30,000 people. It's like putting more sand on the beach," Wyclef said.

"It's not right that people that have been here for 20 years get deported and are sent away from their kids. They deserve a fair chance." Wyclef said.

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"It's not right that people that have been here for 20 years get deported and are sent away from their kids. They deserve a fair chance." Wyclef said.

These people knew every single morning they woke up that they had no right to be here.
Whats not right is that any of them that had children now have little claws deep in the American taxpayers pockets.

These people need to go home now and take their little American treasures with them and this nonsense about being a citizen because you were born in the USA needs to be looked at.

What is so hard about common sense that people just dont get it?

These people need to leave.

They do have their hands in the American pockets.


If they wanted to be citizens, they would have applied correctly.