Federal impact on shore Haitians

Editor,

In Wicomico County there are between 4,700 and 6,000 Haitian residents who are an important part of the local economy. They obey the law. They pay their taxes (between $15 million and $25 million annually). Donald Trump wants to kick them all out.

Salisbury businesses and local chambers strongly support the Haitian community as essential to the local workforce, particularly in the poultry industry. Organizations like the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce actively collaborate with Haitian-led initiatives to promote economic growth on Delmarva.

Haitian immigrants have significantly lower incarceration and conviction rates than native-born U.S. citizens. Nationwide studies highlight that Haitians integrate well into local workforces, and strictly adhere to the rule of law.

Donald Trump will happily send all of them back to the hell from which they fled. Trump’s lackies have asked us to define the word “temporary,” without adding that the exclusion can be extended if conditions in the home country have not improved. If anything, conditions in Haiti have worsened, exponentially.

The National Chicken Council warns that “Labor is a constant challenge for the poultry processing industry.” One in five workers in local poultry operations is a Haitian immigrant. A significant portion of Haitian Americans work in healthcare—roughly 21% nationwide—so thousands of Haitians serve as nurses, nursing aides, and home health caregivers across Maryland, especially on the Eastern Shore where Haitian immigrants are concentrated.

If you are in an assisted living facility or a memory care unit, or if one of your loved ones is, a Haitian is probably delivering their food, caring for their basic healthcare needs, brightening their day and helping them with daily challenges.

Residents generally grow deeply attached to their Haitian caregivers for their compassion and skills, and often consider them an extension of their own family.

The White House is ending access to jobs, and even life, in America for hardworking, taxpaying, law abiding Haitian immigrants. Congressman Harris has loyally backed every Trump immigration policy. When will he learn to put the welfare of businesses in his district ahead of partisan dogma?

Ronald Pilling
Bishopville