Immigration in 2021:
the images that shook America
Start the story
The story
As political instability persists in Haiti and the country is affected by the many consequences of the earthquake since August, the flow of migrants towards the United States continues to increase.
Tensions between Democrats and Republicans are growing over the subject of immigration.
On September 19, 2021, US equestrian patrol officers were deployed near the Rio Grande river, where thousands of Haitians had been camping for several days with hopes of being admitted into the US.
They were bathing in the river and crossing it to get food in Mexico for themselves and their families back on United States territory.
The fact
The story of Paul Ratje seen by Pedro Ugarte, AFP Head of Photography for the North America region
What happened
In one of the shots taken by AFP photographer Paul Ratje, an officer on horseback is grabbing a man by his shirt. In another one, he is holding off a group of people by swinging his reins in a threatening manner.
These photos shocked and induced reactions from the United States.
"These images are sickening. This kind of violence has to stop", said Chuck Schumer, Democratic leader of the US Senate, who called them "horrific".
"It's horrible to watch", said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a press briefing. "I don't know the context, but I don't see where it would be appropriate", she added.
This situation showed the impact that Agence France-Presse photos can have. These photos rapidly triggered political consequences.
The following day, the Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry "to discuss cooperation in order to ensure the repatriation of Haitian migrants south of the U.S. border," the State Department said.
Behind the scenes
Antony Blinken also initiated discussions with his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard regarding "coordination to manage the flow of illegal migrants," a US spokesperson said.
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