Hurricane havoc spurs on Haitian refugees stuck in Mexico
A surge in the number of Haitians seeking asylum in 2016 prompted the US government to end special protection rules dating back to Haiti’s last major disaster
TIJUANA, MEXICO — The havoc wreaked by Hurricane Matthew has strengthened the resolve of thousands of Haitians stuck on the US-Mexico border to make it to the US even though new rules mean they will likely be deported to their shattered homeland.A surge in the number of Haitians seeking asylum in 2016 prompted the US government to end special protection rules dating back to Haiti’s last major disaster, a 2010 earthquake that killed 200,000 people.That means migrants like Naomi Josil, 29, are now far more likely to be deported home if they cross the border from Mexico. But as news filtered in of the death of 900 people from Hurricane Matthew and the loss of family homes and property, Josil and her friends refused to give up."We can’t go back, we want money to rebuild the houses taken by the hurricane, said Josil, a mother of two. "There is no turning back, my family needs the money more than ever. We have to reach the US."Despite tighter US controls, dozens of Haitians show up in Tij...
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