By William Miller

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

QUEBEC, Canada – United States Border Patrol has arrested at least 115 people of Haitian descent this year trying to cross the border illegally from Quebec, Canada to Vermont, United States. Authorities say that this record increase coincides with the earthquake in Haiti on January 12.

Several reasons have been cited for the spike in illegal immigration. Many have family in the U.S. and are attempting to reunite with them. Others are looking to make more money working in the U.S. to send to family still in Haiti.

Many of the illegal immigrants falsely believe that a temporary ban in the U.S. on deportations to Haiti will protect them. The ban, however, only applies to those who were already in the U.S. when the January 12 earthquake struck.

Almost all of the Haitians originally entered the U.S. and were ordered deported. Instead, many of them went to Canada in an attempt to take advantage of their refugee program. They attempted to re-enter the United States after the ban was passed thinking it would protect them from deportation. Many of those caught trying to re-enter the U.S. had already filed for refugee status in Canada.

Authorities believe that there may be an underground network of human traffickers assisting the Haitians attempting to enter the United States. This organized ring may be contributing to the rumors that the eighteen-month ban on deportation to Haiti will apply to those entering the country now.

Most of the Haitians caught were attempting to cross at night at unguarded boarder areas and were headed to New York and Miami where there are large populations of Haitians.

The U.S. Attorney will prosecute at least thirty-five of the Haitians for re-entering the country with an outstanding deportation order. The illegal aliens could face up to two years in prison if found guilty.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has discretion in deciding to prosecute those entering the country illegally. They have already said that they cannot ignore such a large influx of immigrants. “Having this scale of individuals from one nationality [Haitian] over a short period of time is unusual. It’s an issue that requires us to respond with a significant message of deterrence. We have laws against illegal immigration,” Tristram Coffin, the U.S. Attorney for Vermont, said from Burlington on Monday.

For more information, please see:

CBC – Illegal Haitians Caught at U.S. Border – 6 April 2010

Globe and Mail – Haitian Illegally Travelling to U.S. Looking for Asylum get Jail Time – 5 April 2010

Digital Journal – Vermont a Hotspot for Haitians Sneaking into U.S. – 4 April 2010