The ongoing crisis in Haiti has left many among its population vulnerable, especially orphaned children. In a recent letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) called for assistance to children adopted by American citizens as they attempt to leave the country.
"I write with a profound sense of urgency and concern for the orphaned children of Haiti. This nation, home to many industrious families who have made Florida their home, is grappling with formidable challenges," Sen. Rubio began, highlighting the work of Haitian diaspora and religious leaders in bringing aid and support to the orphaned and impoverished of the Caribbean country.
However, as the current crisis continues to deteriorate, with heavily armed gangs controlling much of Port Au Prince and government forces reduced to a few holdouts such as Toussaint Louverture Airport, these charities are unable to reach those they serve and orphans adopted by American citizens are facing challenges in leaving Haiti with their adoptive parents.
"My office has been in continuous communication with U.S. Department of State officials on various requests to assist American citizens to safely evacuate the country," Sen. Rubio continued. Despite this, most of the American Embassy has evacuated, making the situation for these Americans and their adopted Haitian children difficult.
Representative Cory Mills (R-FL), who personally led two rescue missions of Americans left behind in Haiti, heavily criticized the State Department's evacuation of personnel without planning for the evacuation of American citizens, saying it was a "dereliction of duty at its finest."
Nevertheless, Rubio said the crisis in Haiti "has reached a critical juncture," and thus "it is incumbent upon us to join forces and make a positive difference in the lives of Haiti’s orphaned children. I respectfully request the U.S. Department of State prioritize those children who have been adopted and require our immediate assistance."
Rubio had previously discussed the difficulty in assisting American citizens within Haiti in a recent appearance on Miami-based NBC 6, saying, "The problem is not simply the ability to get them out. It is getting them to the airport. In Port Au Prince, the airport has fallen. You have to drive through gang checkpoints to get there."
Nevertheless, he said the crisis is "It is a very, very complicated situation with no easy answers, and [it will] require some creative thinking, and ultimately, we will try to do the best we can in that regard. And your heart breaks for these people because they are suffering, and they are suffering stories that we are hearing that sound like something from a horror movie. It is apocalyptic."
