Pentagon Fears ‘Mass Maritime Migration’ From Haiti
The Pentagon warned that the devolving situation in Haiti could cause a significant exodus from the Caribbean country. The news came just days after Washington evacuated embassy staff from Haiti, which is nearing a state of civil war.
The topic came up during congressional testimony this week. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) asked Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Rebecca Zimmerman about a potential migration.
Zimmerman said that the Pentagon was “doing a number of things to ensure that we’re keeping track of the situation and we’re prepared — at the moment, we have not yet seen large numbers of what we would characterize as maritime mass migration.”
“We are alert to that possibility,” she said. “I think you’re right that the driving conditions in Haiti could very well press more people.”
Zimmerman said that the Pentagon was working with the Coast Guard regarding such a potential situation.
The Haitians are coming.
The Department of Defense testified today that the Biden administration anticipates "mass migration" from Haiti in the wake of the horrific state of the country, which has descended into complete anarchy. Their first port of call? Florida. pic.twitter.com/vpgMzvoSoX
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 12, 2024
Haiti has suffered a number of dictatorships and civil wars over the last century. The United States has intervened in the country several times, including in the 1990s.
The Pentagon is currently considering deploying Marines to the country to help evacuate Americans stranded in the country. The United States is attempting to form a multinational coalition to aid the country as much of Haiti has fallen to violent gangs following a jailbreak.
The State Department also called on Americans to avoid traveling to the country.
Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) organized a rescue effort that brought back ten Americans from the struggling country. Mills had previously organized a successful rescue effort in Afghanistan during the 2021 Taliban takeover of the country.
“This mission reiterates a disturbing reality under President Biden’s leadership: American lives are continually jeopardized,” said Mills. “I have led missions to rescue Americans multiple times when Joe Biden has deserted them.”
“There’s a clear pattern of abandonment,” Mills said. “Yet again, this group was left behind by Biden and his State Department after requesting their help in-country.”
The 1990s crisis in Haiti led to a large migration to the United States.
