AAP Statement on Treatment of Haitian Immigrants at U.S. Southern Border

By: Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics

“All children and families arriving at our U.S. border deserve to be treated with humanity, compassion and respect. People from Haiti, like all people seeking asylum, have a legal right to seek protection at our border. We urge the Administration to move more quickly toward building a safe and fair process at the border that protects the health and wellbeing of children and families.

“We should not have different standards of treatment for people from different countries, races, and ethnicities who are seeking protection in the United States. The images of border patrol agents on horseback in violent, physical contact with asylum-seeking immigrants from Haiti are shocking and recall other disturbing instances of racism intersecting with immigration enforcement. We urge a full investigation and accountability of the policies and individuals that permit this unacceptable behavior.

“The Academy’s own policy statement on racism and children’s health tells us that racism is harmful to children far beyond the headlines; Black immigrants - including families - are disproportionately at risk for removal and detention, and they are more likely to face harsh conditions while detained. Inhumane treatment of people seeking refuge in the United States not only negatively impacts immigrants directly, but also threatens our collective progress as a nation, as these images may evoke past traumas. It is time for the Biden Administration to reset its approach to immigration enforcement and live up to our legal and moral obligations to the children and families who seek safe haven in our country.”

# # #

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.