Haitian migrants assault ICE officials, pilots on deportation flights

The Bobster

Senior News Editor since 2004

Haitian migrants assault ICE officials, pilots on deportation flights​



By
Emily Crane


September 23, 2021 8:58am
Updated
















Haitian illegal immigrants being deported from the US have bitten and attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on board planes in a bid to halt their return to the Caribbean nation, according to reports.
Some pilots have also been assaulted in a series of incidents this week as the US conducts deportation flights to Haiti after nearly 15,000 migrants — mostly Haitians — settled under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, after illegally crossing the border.
In one incident, two Haitians left their seats and bit ICE officials as their plane was taxiing down the runway at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio on Monday, law enforcement officials told the Washington Examiner.
The plane had to turn back due to the disturbance, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the two Haitians were arrested.
Another flight had to be canceled Monday when migrants became “disruptive” and started “fighting personnel” on the plane, the officials said.
In a separate incident, several Haitians assaulted the pilots and injured three ICE officials after a flight carrying only male migrants landed in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, NBC reports.
Haitians deported from the United States try to board the same plane they were deported on.Several Haitians assaulted the pilots and injured three ICE officials after a flight carrying male migrants landed in Port-au-Prince.Joseph Odelyn/AP A police officer tries to block Haitians deported from the United States from reboarding.An officer in Haiti tries to block migrants from boarding the same plane they were deported on, in an attempt to return to the US.Joseph Odelyn/AP
The unrest broke out when US officials released the men to Haitian authorities on the tarmac.
The group of migrants stormed another arriving flight carrying families and assaulted the pilots, sources told the outlet.
Three ICE officials suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack.
Haitian migrants get off an airport bus.A group of Haitians being bused to San Antonio to board a deportation flight briefly took control of the vehicle before escaping.Ralph Tedy Erol/REUTERS
A group of Haitians who were being bused to San Antonio to board a deportation flight also briefly took control of the vehicle Monday before making a break for it.
The escapees were eventually recaptured.
The Department of Homeland Security says 1,401 migrants have been deported to Haiti in recent days.
Haitians deported from the United States recover their belongings on the tarmac.Haitians deported from the United States recover their belongings on the tarmac of the Toussaint Louverture airport.Joseph Odelyn/AP Migrant camp.Over 4,600 migrants who had been living under the Del Rio bridge have been removed from the makeshift encampment.Julio Cortez/AP
More than 4,600 migrants who had been gathering under the Del Rio bridge have been removed from the makeshift encampment, according to DHS — but they failed to specify how many had been released into the US.
The department said fewer than 5,000 migrants remained at the Del Rio site.
 
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