United Haitian Council Association of Sint Maarten President Jackson Dambreville and Vice President Jonini Chatelier.
~ Requests meeting with Minister ~
PHILIPSBURG--United Haitian Council Association of Sint Maarten is appealing to government to suspend the repatriation of Haitian nationals to their homeland, given the dire conditions in Haiti.
Association President Jackson Dambreville told “The Daily Herald” on Tuesday that deportations are already taking place.
“There have been some reports of Haitians being deported. Up to Saturday some were placed on a flight and sent to Haiti. Immigration is picking up people island-wide. When they are sent back, some can’t go to their homes because of the violence in the area where they are from. They are displaced. Many of the times when they are deported they get killed or they end up joining a gang because that’s the life they are led into. It’s hard for anyone living in Haiti now,” Dambreville said, indicating that this is generally the case with Haitians who are returned from any country.
The association has requested a meeting with Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling to formally convey their concerns about this matter. The letter, dated September 1, 2025, was officially booked at the Government Administration Building on Tuesday. The association wants to discuss the ongoing situation in Haiti and its impact on the Haitian community in St. Maarten.
The association is concerned about widespread gang violence, human rights violations, political instability, and a lack of basic resources in Haiti. It believes that these conditions mean that deported individuals could face threats to their safety, dignity and well-being.
The association says Haitians in St. Maarten, many of whom have been contributing members of the community, are facing extreme uncertainty and fear. Deporting them at this time could result in irreparable harm, as Haiti is not in a position to guarantee their fundamental rights, security, or access to essential services, say the association president and vice president.
The association urges the Minister of Justice to take immediate action and is requesting that repatriations be immediately halted until conditions in Haiti improve and it becomes safe for nationals to return. It says this action would not only reflect a humanitarian approach, but also uphold St. Maarten’s commitment to human rights and compassion during a period of profound crisis for the Haitian people.
The letter was signed by association President Dambreville and Vice President Jonini Chatelier.
