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Lawmakers and government officials are continuing to put pressure on the Biden administration regarding its treatment of Haitian migrants at the southern border. Most recently, the U.S. special envoy for Haiti, Daniel Foote, resigned due to the Biden administration's "inhumane" treatment of Haitian migrants.
In a resignation letter obtained by NBC News, Foote said that his suggestions regarding the Biden administration's response were “ignored and dismissed." He also called out America's "inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees."
"With deep disappointment and apologies to those seeking crucial changes, I resign from my position as Special Envoy for Haiti, effective immediately," Foote added in his letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Foote is far from the first public official to raise issues with the Biden administration's handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border. After photos of border patrol agents using "reins" to confront Haitian migrants seeking asylum emerged, Reps. Ayana Pressley, Maxine Waters and a number of other lawmakers called out the U.S. Border Patrol's "cruel" treatment of asylum seekers.
"I'm unhappy and I'm not just unhappy with the cowboys who were running down Haitians and using their reins to whip them. I'm [unhappy] with the administration. We are following the Trump policy. He is the one that does not follow the constitution and would not allow those seeking refuge to petition to get into the country," Waters said during a press conference on Wednesday, according to FOX News.
Beyond American politics, Filippo Grandi, the United Nation's top refugee official, has also warned the Biden administration that it may be violating international laws with its treatment of Haitian migrants.
“The summary, mass expulsions of individuals currently underway under the Title 42 authority, without screening for protection needs, is inconsistent with international norms and may constitute refoulement,” Grandi said, according to Reuters.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has not responded publicly to Foote's resignation letter. Instead, he has called out the "unacceptable" actions of the U.S. Border Patrol while waiting for an investigation to play out.
"We are going to investigate the facts," Blinken said when asked about the recent photos of U.S. Border Patrol agents using "reins" to confront migrants.
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