Boatpeople and Interdiction Points

The following text outlining the evolution of Haitians in the US is synthesized from information found on pages 179 - 183 in Libete: A Haitian Anthology, by Charles Arthur and Michael Dash (Markus Wiener: Princeton, 1999). Libete is an excellent and comprehensive source of information about Haiti and Haitians.

The 1950s
Large-scale emigration from Haiti to the United States began in the 1950s. At first, those leaving were seeking a better standard of living abroad and were members of Haiti’s educated upper and middle classes. Skilled professionals such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, and engineers resettled in such US cities as New York, Chicago, and Boston.

Not long following the rise to power of Francois, “Papa Doc” Duvalier in 1957, Haiti’s “brain drain” grew in size, as opportunities in Haiti diminished and political repression increased. One indication of the magnitude of the outflow is the fact that only 3 of 264 graduates of Haiti’s medical school between 1957 and 1963 remained in the country.

The 1960s, 70s and 80s
During the 1960s, semi-skilled Haitians from the middle and lower urban classes joined the exodus, leaving in increasing numbers for the United States and such other destinations as Canada. The flow continued during the 1970s and 1980s. As increasing numbers of Haitians established themselves, principally in the New York area, family members and friends from back home visited them. Between 1956 and 1985, the US government issued over one million entry visas to Haitians. It is estimated that 50 per cent of these visa holders overstayed their time limit with the hope of establishing permanent residence in the US.

Boatpeople
A new phase of migration from Haiti to the US began in 1972 when several sailboats carrying Haitians arrived in South Florida. Participants in this new migration phase were more likely to be poorer Haitians who could not afford exit visas or airplane tickets, but who could, by selling their possessions or land, raise the amount charged by boat captains for the 700-mile trip to Florida. Hence was born the phenomenon of Haiti’s “boat people.”

Most of these immigrants came from villages and towns scattered around Haiti, rather than from its capital, Port-au-Prince. Haitians arriving in South Florida did not, as a rule, travel very far beyond their point of entry. As a result, from the 1970s, Haitian enclaves in Miami and other nearby South Florida cities began to grow in number and in size.

Increased Numbers and Step Migration
As Haiti experienced deepening poverty and repression under the rule of Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, the exodus by boat increased. During the 1970s and 1980s between 50,000 and 80,000 boatpeople arrived without authorization in Florida. An unknown number perished at sea. In 1981 up to 1,000 Haitian boat people arrived in South Florida every month. Many of the new arrivals reached Florida indirectly, by way of the Bahamas.

This ‘step migration’ of poor Haitians to Florida is vividly portrayed in Continental Drift a novel by Russell Banks (1985). In part, Banks based his story on the actual tragedy of Hillsborough Beach, Florida, where the bodies of some 30 Haitian migrants washed up on shore. Incidents like this not only underscored the desperation of Haitians fleeing the economic misery and political violence in their country, but also made Haitians the subject of headlines in US newspapers and reports on the evening news.

The 1990s
In 1990, the flow of boatpeople temporarily ceased following the presidential election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the widespread expectation among Haiti’s poor that his election would lead to the demise of repression in Haiti and a parallel increase of opportunities. By late 1991, however, following Aristide’s removal during a violent military coup d’etat, Haitians were once again taking to the high seas. During late 1991 and early 1992, 37,000 Haitian boatpeople were interdicted on the high seas by US officials.

During the 1991-1994 period of military rule, thousands of Haitians fled the country, mostly by boat. During this period of desperate outpouring, some who fled were accorded refugee status, and some were resettled to various locations around the country.

Since the 1994 removal of the military regime, Haiti has not experienced a massive outpouring of boatpeople. The Haitian Diaspora in the US continues to grow, however, fueled by the occasional arrival of boats in South Florida, but also by the continuing arrival, by air, of family and friends; and, most importantly, through its own internal growth, as a second, or third, generation is born and raised within US Haitian-American families.

An Emerging Two-Way Flow
With the Diaspora’s growth has come a two way flow, with first, second, and even third generation Haitians in the United States returning “home” to visit family and friends, and to explore options for contributing to the country’s well being. Members of the Haitian Diaspora send cash transfers of $600 million or more to Haiti every year. For many in Haiti, remittances have become a critically important component of their budget, used to pay costs of education, health care, housing, and the purchase of basic necessities.

Parallel to the growth of the Haitian Diaspora in the US has been the emergence of interest by the Haitian government in “Haitians Living Overseas.” As part of that interest, the government has begun to take steps aimed at attracting members of the Haitian Diaspora to Haiti, especially as investors. At the June 2002 Trinity College symposium, the government’s Minister for Haitians Living Overseas was invited to speak. His presentation outlined four distinct periods of emigration from Haiti and a number of his ministry’s programs and plans. CLICK HERE to view a transcript of the report.