U.S. special envoy for Haiti resigns, refusing to be associated with 'inhumane' deportations

(Image credit: PAUL RATJE/AFP via Getty Images)

published 23 September 2021

The United States' special envoy for Haiti has resigned, and he penned a scathing letter on the way out.

Daniel Foote resigned as special envoy for Haiti in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, citing the United States' "inhumane" deportation of Haitian refugees, PBS reported.

"I will not be associated with the United States inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees and illegal immigrants to Haiti, a country where American officials are confined to secure compounds because of the danger posed by armed gangs in control of daily life," Foote wrote. "Our policy approach to Haiti remains deeply flawed, and my recommendations have been ignored and dismissed, when not edited to project a narrative different from my own."

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The Biden administration has been facing heavy criticism this week over the deportations of Haitian migrants. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday called on the president to halt them and said the policy defies not only "common sense, but also ... common decency and what America is all about." White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki decried videos of Border Patrol agents chasing migrants in Texas, calling them "horrific" and saying "this is not who we are."

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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