The recent geodynamics of Haitian migration in the Americas: refugees or economic migrants?

Abstract

After having presented the specific migration context of Haiti and its multidimensional vulnerability, this paper shows that the diaspora geography explains, to a large extent, the location of Haitian refugees and asylum seekers in North America and the French Caribbean territories. Then, we explore the relation between migration policy evolution and the development of new migration routes towards South America, where the recognition of the multidimensional nature of this migration has paved the way for the legalization of Haitian migrants, particularly in Brazil. The complementary migration functions of Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Chile created a new regional migration system centered on the Southeast and the South of Brazil. This emerging South-South migration route is part of a larger Haitian migration system that connects Latin America to North America and the Caribbean.

Inclusive Language for Exclusive Policies: Restrictive Migration Governance in Chile, 2018

“…First, Haitians are selecting Chile and Brazil, rather than geographically closer countries, as main settlement destinations. Audebert (2017) sustains that Brazil and Chile are very attractive for Haitians due to the strong demand for work, particularly for low‐cost labor in construction and manufacturing, the agro‐food industry, and other low‐skill services. Additionally, Haiti has forged close bilateral cooperative relations in recent years with both Brazil and Chile through humanitarian settings.…”

“…Additionally, Haiti has forged close bilateral cooperative relations in recent years with both Brazil and Chile through humanitarian settings. These countries, as well as Uruguay, led active roles during disaster situations such as Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 and the 2010 earthquake, and during the United Nations Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti (Audebert, 2017; Feldmann & Montes, 2010; Fernandes & Faria, 2017).…”

Inmigrantes haitianas en Brasil, usos de las TIC y experiencias de activismo

“…Após o terremoto que atingiu o Haiti em 2010, 1 o Brasil consolidou-se como uma das novas rotas migratórias da diáspora haitiana no mundo, somando-se a destinos que, há décadas, contam com presença significativa dessa diáspora, como Estados Unidos, França, Canadá, República Dominicana, Bahamas, Martinica, Guadalupe e Guiana Francesa (Audebert, 2017;Handerson, 2015). Dados do Ministério dos Haitianos Residentes no Exterior (MHAVE) indicam que, nesses países, residem a maioria dos cerca de 5 milhões de haitianos que vivem no exterior, o que representa cerca da metade dos 10 milhões de habitantes que compõem a população do Haiti (Handerson, 2015, pp.40-41 Em 2017, estimativas apontavam entre 60 e 65 mil haitianos instalados em diferentes regiões brasileiras (Handerson, 2017), posicionando o Brasil como o país sul-americano com maior presença de imigrantes haitianos e como um dos principais espaços transnacionais que integra, atualmente, a rota Sul-Sul dessa diáspora (Audebert, 2017). 3 Os haitianos que chegaram ao país, nesses últimos anos, ingressaram pelas fronteiras da região norte do país e pelos aeroportos de grandes cidades brasileiras, principalmente Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Brasília.…”

Factors of International Migration of Haitians to the Dominican Republic in 2010-2015

“…The complexity of migration from Haiti often triggers immigration problems in the destination country regarding the status of the migrants considering that Haitian migrants come and go as economic migrants or as refugees (Audebert, 2017). The purpose of their migration one of which is the Dominican Republic which is a neighboring country.…”