Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
More Haitians using Puerto Rico as route to US
<br>
News
May 6, 2013

More Haitians using Puerto Rico as route to US

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Haitians have fled their troubled country for years, attempting to reach the US or other Caribbean islands by heading north across the open sea or trekking across the island of Hispaniola to scratch out a living in the Dominican Republic.

But a newly popular route has caught officials in the Caribbean by surprise, one that is taking migrants to a piece of the US much closer to home.

Hundreds of Haitian migrants have made their way to the US territory of Puerto Rico in recent months, finding that if they can make it there without getting arrested, it’s relatively easy to fly on to US cities such as Miami, Boston or New York without even having to show a passport.

“As soon as you’re in Puerto Rico, it’s like you’re in the United States,” said Lolo Sterne, coordinator for Haiti’s Office of Migration.

There are no official statistics on how many Haitians have successfully made their way illegally to Puerto Rico, or how many have travelled on to the US mainland. But the trend worries officials in the US and the Dominican Republic, with both countries reporting a jump in arrests of Puerto Rico-bound Haitians.

Migrants reportedly are paying smugglers US$1,000-US$1,500 for a trip to Puerto Rico, located less than 100 miles east of the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. At the same time, Dom Rep officials have detained more than 400 Haitians bound for Puerto Rico in the past four months, compared with just a handful annually in previous years, said Victor Pilier, the Dominican Republic’s director of naval intelligence.

“It’s an excessive amount,” said Pilier, who oversaw the capture of 78 Haitians headed to Puerto Rico in late April before sending them back home. “It’s unusual.”

US officials in the past six months captured 352 Haitian migrants who were bound for Puerto Rico or were found on or near the island. Coast Guard statistics show that between October 2010 and September 2011, only 13 such migrants were found, and at most five Puerto Rico-bound Haitians were arrested in the two years before that.

“We’re seeing another route they’re trying to exploit,” said Coast Guard Captain Drew Pearson, who is based in Puerto Rico. “We hadn’t seen these numbers of Haitians in my tenure here.”

The odds of reaching the US mainland directly from Haiti have dropped as the US Coast Guard beefs up patrols by Hamilton class cutters, or what Haitian migrants simply refer to as “Amilton.” Along with trying to sail directly to the US mainland, Haitians in the past attempted to get to the US through long-established smuggling networks on islands including the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

“Miami is no longer easy to reach and that’s why Haitians are looking for other places,” said Walky Severian, a boat builder in western Haiti who himself has taken three voyages, including one in 2008 that ended up in Cuba because of stormy weather before he was deported.

Pilier, the Dominican naval officer, said migrant smuggling to the US territory has also become common because Dominican authorities have a harder time patrolling the nation’s southeast coast, which is closer to Puerto Rico and where many smugglers have started launching from.

“We have a stronger presence in the north,” he said. “The east is more vulnerable.”

On top of that, a thriving underground economy in Puerto Rico that has long offered employment to Dominicans is now attracting Haitians.

For Haitians hoping to get to the US mainland, the island of 3.7 million people has a black market that supplies fake passports, driver’s licences and stolen Social Security numbers. In addition, the island’s governor in early March endorsed a proposal to allow immigrants living illegally in the US territory to apply for a provisional driver’s licence. Pilier said that proposal has in fact drawn many migrants to Puerto Rico.

On the black-sand beach in the fishing village of Leogane west of the Haitian capital, groups of men build wooden migrant boats, sawing and hacking away with machetes and picks. The 30-foot-long boats, whose frames resemble the rib cage of a small dinosaur, are purchased by smugglers for around US$12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. One boat builder said he has four or five regular customers who buy the crafts.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Latest News, News
WATCH: Over $2 billion paid out as ROOFS programme reaches Westmoreland
February 22, 2026
WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has disbursed more than $2 billion to Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Melissa, with...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Violent unrest in Mexico could force relocation of Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifier
Latest News, Sports
Violent unrest in Mexico could force relocation of Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifier
February 22, 2026
There are growing concerns that next month’s FIFA Inter-continental qualifiers involving Jamaica – to book two more tickets to July’s World Cup – coul...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Airlines cancel dozens of flights to Mexico as violence erupts
International News, Latest News
Airlines cancel dozens of flights to Mexico as violence erupts
February 22, 2026
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) -- US and Canadian airlines canceled dozens of flights to parts of Mexico on Sunday as violence broke out following the ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
JPL leaders Montego Bay rally to earn draw with Harbour View
Latest News, Sports
JPL leaders Montego Bay rally to earn draw with Harbour View
February 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Leaders Montego Bay United rallied to earn a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Harbour View FC in their Jamaica Premier Leagu...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Latest News, News
WATCH: Fitz-Henley commends amendment to Income Tax Act, lauds employers for compassionate payments
February 22, 2026
State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley is commending employers who moved to give compassionate payments to emplo...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Arsenal’s Eze sinks Spurs again, Liverpool late show floors Forest
Latest News, Sports
Arsenal’s Eze sinks Spurs again, Liverpool late show floors Forest
February 22, 2026
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) -- Eberechi Eze was the scourge of Tottenham again as his double restored Arsenal's five-point lead at the top of the Pre...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
USA win men’s Olympic ice hockey gold for first time since 1980
International News, Latest News
USA win men’s Olympic ice hockey gold for first time since 1980
February 22, 2026
MILAN, Italy (AFP)—The United States won the men's Olympic ice hockey gold for the first time in 46 years by beating Canada 2-1 on Sunday. Jack Hughes...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Top Mexican drug cartel leader killed
International News, Latest News
Top Mexican drug cartel leader killed
February 22, 2026
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP)—Mexico confirmed on Sunday that soldiers killed a powerful drug cartel leader who was one of the most wanted men here and in...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct