Envoy to Haiti quits over migrant crackdown
The American special envoy for Haiti has resigned in protest over the “inhumane and counterproductive” crackdown on migrants along the southern border.
Daniel Foote, who was appointed to the position only in July following the assassination of Haiti’s president, quit in a letter to Secretary of State Tony Blinken that fiercely denounced the harsh treatment of thousands of Haitians seeking to enter the U.S. from Mexico.
“I will not be associated with the United
States inhumane, counterproductive policy of deporting thousands of Haitian refugees,” Foote wrote in a letter that was first obtained by PBS Newshour. “Our policy toward Haiti remains deeply flawed and my recommendations have been ignored or dismissed.”
Even before the migrant expulsions from the small Texas border town of Del Rio, the career diplomat was known to be deeply frustrated with what he considered a lack of urgency in Washington and a glacial pace on efforts to improve conditions in Haiti.
The ex-envoy said the U.S. must take more responsibility for rescuing Haiti’s collapsed economy and toxic politics — or face the inevitable results of its hands-off approach.
“Surging migration to our borders will only grow as we add to Haiti’s unacceptable misery,” Foote wrote.
The State Department criticized Foote for resigning at a critical juncture and pushed back against suggestions that his policy prescriptions were overlooked.
“This is a challenging moment that requires leadership,” spokesman Ned Price said in a written statement. “It is unfortunate that, instead of participating in a solutions-oriented policy process, Special Envoy Foote has both resigned and mischaracterized the circumstances of his resignation.”
Fierce criticism has been fueled by images that went viral this week of Border Patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics against the migrants. Democrats and many pro-immigration groups say efforts to expel thousands of Haitians without giving them a chance to seek asylum violates American principles.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black veep, called the agents’ actions “horrible” and vowed an investigation.
The Border Patrol Thursday said it would temporarily stop using officers on horseback.