JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Members of Jacksonville’s Haitian community took to the steps of Jacksonville City Hall to have their voices heard as the conditions in the Caribbean nation continue to deteriorate.
State leaders are making an effort to lock down the shores.
Jacksonville’s Haitian community is hoping they’d consider another solution.
“I never thought, in my life, I would live in another country but Haiti, because I love my country and I will be back," said Pierre Paul of the Coalition of the Haitian Community in Jacksonville.
Paul made the hard decision 20 years ago to leave his home for safety in the U.S.
He’s built a life in Jacksonville now with his family, but it’s heartbreaking for Paul to see what Port-Au-Prince looks like right now.
“The capitol, right now, is on gang’s hands, with scary people," said Paul. "There’s no way people can live in a situation like this, and they try to flee the country.”
Paul and the Coalition of the Haitian Community in Jacksonville held a rally to ask state and federal leaders to consider providing Haitians refuge and humanitarian help.
“We are a nation like all other nations," said Paul. "Like Ukraine nations, like tourists. They’re coming not for opportunity, but to save their lives.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced he’s sending hundreds of soldiers to the Southern Coast to keep illegal immigrants from reaching the shore.
However, the state of Florida did establish a portal to help Floridians trapped in Haiti get home.
People like Cinotti Bakery Owner Miriam Cinotti, who was in Haiti on a mission trip when the gang violence escalated.
“Our family was saying, ‘You’ve got to get home. You’ve got to get home,'" said Cinotti. "We started getting fearful because of where we were remotely, that we weren’t going to get out.”
Cinotti was able to get to safety in the Dominican Republic, where she’s waiting to make it back to Jacksonville Beach.
Paul is hoping fleeing Haitians could also get some consideration, even if it’s only temporary.
“A lot of Haitians, when Haiti gets back on its feet, you’d be surprised how many Haitians are going to leave this country and go back to Haiti, including me, because we love our country," said Paul.
The Biden administration launched a program to grant a limited amount of Haitians asylum in the U.S. if they have a sponsor or family member here.
Paul said members of Jacksonville’s Coalition of the Haitian Community have family members who are on the list, but haven’t had any developments in months.