San Diego, California, June 29, 2022 — Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) mourns with the survivors and families of migrants who lost their lives in San Antonio on June 27, as they sought safety and protection in the United States. “My heart is heavy as we grieve the loss of precious lives, but I am also angry,” said Guerline Jozef, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance. “These vulnerable people seeking refuge died because the United States continues to impose barriers to people in search of protection, creating a system for smugglers and traffickers to thrive, rather than protecting these vulnerable people at our border. We must come together and make sure that the U.S. government ends its cruel, inhumane and ineffective deterrence policies and restores access to asylum so people don’t fall prey to smugglers and human traffickers.”

HBA also mourns the death and torture of as many as 37 African migrants attempting to cross from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Melilla on June 24. Shocking videos circulated of hundreds of young Black men piled on top of each other on the ground like corpses (unclear who was dead or alive), while Spanish law enforcement beat them with batons. The abuse of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers is a global atrocity and must be stopped. 

Ms. Jozef, “The tragic death of the migrants in San Antonio and Morocco, as well as the 42 young Haitians including eleven women who lost their lives off the coast of Puerto Rico, is a painful reminder of the violence against the 15,000 Haitian and other asylum seekers who tried to seek protection in Del Rio, Texas last September and were met with armed resistance by the U.S. We witnessed people die from lack of access to water, food, and medical care. Almost one year later, and despite President Biden and Vice President Harris’s promises of accountability, no one has received justice. This war against migrants must stop. We implore President Biden to reinstate safe access to asylum protection. It’s time to end Title 42, MMP, Operation Lone Star, and to stop putting people fleeing danger in the hands of smugglers and traffickers.”