Archbishop Coakley asks Trump to suspend deportations to Haiti

‘What good is the immense wealth, prosperity and influence with which we have been blessed as a nation if not used in service of our humanity?’

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City wrote a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to pause enforced departures of Haitians living in the United States.

Coakley, who serves as the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), said he wrote the letter due to his “deep pastoral concern in relation to the growing number of Haitians being forcibly repatriated to Haiti from the United States”.

The archbishop detailed the violence in Haiti, including a fatal attack in the nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince in August.

“Recently, at least 47 people were brutally murdered, more than 20 injured, and over 50 kidnapped in an unconscionable act of violence perpetrated by gang members in Port-au-Prince,” Coakley said.

“Perhaps worst of all, the victims were displaced families – young children among them – taking shelter at a church.”

Due to the attacks, and following the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians living in the US, Coakley urged Trump to exercise his authority under the Constitution to delay deportations for Haitians.

“I very much wish this recent and tragic example of human life being extinguished, virtually with impunity, was an irregularity in Haiti. Unfortunately, it is not,” Coakley said.

“I implore you to avoid further endangering innocent human life by ceasing the deportation of large numbers of people to Haiti at this time, particularly while there is not an adequate system in place to provide for their safe and orderly reception and reintegration.”

The archbishop referred to the words of Pope Leo XIV, who spoke in Castel Gandolfo on 30 August to “express my spiritual closeness to the victims and their families and call for the immediate release of all hostages”.

“I make a heartfelt appeal to all those in positions of authority to take concrete steps in order to ensure the safety of the population and put an end to all forms of violence,” the Pope said.

“As citizens of this great country, we have been entrusted with a tremendous moral responsibility, and this is true most of all for you as our head of state, Mr President,” Coakley’s letter continued.

“To this end, I respectfully ask: what good is the immense wealth, prosperity and influence with which we have been blessed as a nation if not used in service of our humanity?”

While calling for a solution for Haitian nationals, Coakley said he understands “the importance of regulating immigration and enforcing federal immigration law”.

“I also acknowledge that the troubles in Haiti long precede your time in office, in addition to being complex and multifaceted,” he said.

The archbishop said his appeal applied to “Haitians peacefully residing in the United States”, accepting that “individual Haitians could still be disqualified from this relief on a case-by-case basis, preserving your administration’s ability to advance justice and public safety”.

“Beyond this short-term relief, you can be assured of the US bishops’ abiding support and prayers for the long-overdue reform of our nation’s immigration laws,” Coakley said.

The US bishops “pledge to continue working with your administration and Congress to achieve this for the benefit of our country and all Americans”, Coakley said.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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