I was 8 years old when I came to the U.S. with my family from Haiti. When I was 16 years old, my parents bought a house on the South Shore. Weeks later, my siblings and I found fliers left on our lawn from the KKK, which was recruiting people to join a planned rally. When we arrived at school, some of our classmates brought in the same fliers, which were left on their lawns, too. The summer of my junior year, a group of my friends and I were spat on and called the n-word by a group of skinheads – one with a tattoo of the swastika – as we were walking near our home.
So, is it really a surprise where we are now, in America?
I had hopes of a post-racist U.S. when Pres. Barack Obama was elected years ago. But Trump later shattered the facade of a brighter future for my son. And now, in Trump’s second term as president, the pieces feel too many and too sharp to pick up.
Where do we begin?
I’m at once reminded of the 1916 film, “Birth of a Nation,” and of how more than a century later, white supremacists seem to be back in style. I’m also reminded of how the racism was always there, lurking in plain sight, as I saw over and over as a child.
“Of course, racism plays an important role in what the fabric of America is today. Whether you are aware of it or not, your skin color and your accent – these things can determine whether or not you are able to get a job. And now the challenge is even greater given the dangerous rhetoric. It’s so sad because people are just trying to survive in a system that often feels like it is fighting against them,” Dr. Geralde Gabeau, told me, as I was putting together this column. Dr. Gabeau is a fellow Haitian American, executive director of the Immigrant Family Services Institute, and immigration activist.
She is also concerned about Trump’s anti-immigrant policies, his attacks on Constitutional rights like birthright citizenship, and ongoing rhetoric against Haitians and others.
“People are feeling very nervous, they are scared,” she told me. “There has been widespread fear and uncertainty among immigrant communities especially with a wave of executive orders fueling anxiety about their future in the United States. The rapid policy changes, coupled with ongoing unrest in many immigrants’ home countries, have left many feeling panicked.”
The most recent assault was the administration’s slashing of the period of security offered to Haitian immigrants who were previously granted Temporary Protected Status. Cutting short TPS will upend the lives of many who fled to the U.S. seeking safety for their families amid Haiti’s current chaos and violence. For many, TPS was a literal life-saver.
I see the effects of this administration’s policies first-hand. I teach a class at the Asian American Civic Association, publisher of the Sampan, to help non-English speakers learn interview skills. It is part of our Haitian Clinic (our organization’s attempt to help new immigrants navigate the employment system). We have seen a decrease in attendees since Trump pushed his crackdown on immigrants and shortening of TPS. Even people in the U.S. with official status are worried.
“The concern is heightened by inconsistent messaging from Washington, which often leaves people confused about their legal standing. For example, those with Temporary Protected Status are here legally,” said Dr. Gabeau, “but when the administration talks about revoking TPS, it creates panic. Many feel they could be deported at any time. As a result, many individuals are avoiding work, school, and public places, fearing they could be targeted in an ICE raid.”
Immigrants are the backbone of this country. They – especially the enslaved people of early America – have long carried the weight of the economy, so others could prosper. Now immigrants and other minorities are targeted. Further, I believe Trump misled voters. He not only is targeting undocumented immigrants accused of committing crimes, but many other immigrants, documented or not, even those who campaigned for him. Venezuelan immigrants, according to reports from sources like NPR, say they feel double-crossed by the Trump administration’s move to end legal protections for hundreds of thousands of people who fled to the United States for refuge from political persecution and dictatorships.
What can we do now, as all feels hopeless?
We can support one another by educating ourselves and others on the history of this country and stand up against those who seek to repeat the wrongs of their forefathers. It’s either that, or turn back the clock and erase more than a century of fragile progress.
