{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://clarke.house.gov/clarke-haiti-caucus-and-congressional-caribbean-caucus-urge-the-biden-administration-and-dhs-to-immediately-halt-all-deportations-to-haiti/", "CLARKE, HAITI CAUCUS, AND CONGRESSIONAL CARIBBEAN CAUCUS URGE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND DHS TO IMMEDIATELY HALT ALL DEPORTATIONS TO HAITI", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Yvette D. Clarke", "C001067", "clarke.house.gov", "clarke", "https://clarke.house.gov/category/press-release/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 19, 2024\n\nMEDIA CONTACT:\n\ne: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov\n\nc: 202.913.0126\n\nWith an Increase in Gang Violence and the Humanitarian Crisis Worsening in Haiti, Members are Extremely Concerned about Haitian Immigrants Targeted by the Trump Administration\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 House Haiti Caucus and Congressional Caribbean Caucus Co-Chairs, Congresswomen Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), and Stacey E. Plaskett (VI) sent a letter to the Biden Administration and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the administration to immediately halt all deportations, combat illicit arms trafficking, and deliver humanitarian aid and resources to Haiti.\n\nIn November, Clarke and the Haiti Caucus renewed calls for the administration to suspend deportations due to increased gang activity and attacks on commercial airlines further destabilizing the island. As the situation continues to deteriorate, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned all U.S. flights to Haiti, initially for 30 days, and now extended through March 2025. Most recently, Haitian officials confirmed a gang leader, who controls a portion of a key port in Haiti\u2019s capital, is accused of massacring 100 people within the Cit\u00e9 Soleil neighborhood, and armed men attacked and destroyed a hospital in Port-au-Prince, putting the Haitian people at greater risk and underscoring the need for a comprehensive humanitarian response from the United States. Furthermore, back in March 2024, the State Department issued a \u201cLevel 4: Do Not Travel\u201d advisory for Haiti, citing high rates of kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited healthcare.\n\n\u201cThe people of Haiti and the Haitian diaspora have suffered enough, and we urge you to take any necessary action to protect lives and ensure Haiti has the support it needs. These people are not threats to public safety: they are innocent victims seeking refuge from violence and instability. Deporting them during this crisis endangers their lives and undermines our nation\u2019s commitment to human rights and humanitarian values,\u201d the Members wrote.\n\n\u201cThis situation demands your utmost urgency as we are extremely concerned about Haitian immigrants becoming targets under the incoming administration and their announced plans to expand mass deportation and weaponize immigration policy\u2014compromising marginalized communities and our country\u2019s commitment to fairness and inclusivity.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://clarke.house.gov/clarke-haiti-caucus-and-congressional-caribbean-caucus-urge-the-biden-administration-and-dhs-to-immediately-halt-all-deportations-to-haiti/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9573310855776072, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}