Faith Groups Aid Haitian Migrants, Denounce Mistreatment
Luis Andres Henao and Peter Smith of the Associated Press report that religious groups are providing humanitarian assistance to Haitian migrants and lobbying the White House on their behalf. They write, “Immigration hardliners criticize some of the efforts by religious activists, saying their efforts encourage still more migrants to come. But those providing the assistance see it as an extension of their religious mandate to help the needy.” The recent surge in Haitian asylum seekers was met by mounted Border Patrol agents who deployed controversial tactics to detain and deter the migrants. The Rev. Alvin Herring, the executive director of Faith in Action, responded to images of the clashes, saying, “This is unconscionable and cannot be tolerated today.”