SAN DIEGO, (CMC) – In a message delivered on Friday, as the United States celebrated Independence Day, the California-based Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) says that “true freedom cannot exist while immigrant communities, black and brown people, and vulnerable families are terrorised by inhumane policies and xenophobic travel bans.”
“While fireworks light the sky, countless black and brown asylum seekers and migrants — including Haitian families fleeing violence and a humanitarian crisis — remain caged, deported, or denied basic dignity at our borders,” Guerline Jozef, HBA’s executive director, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
At the same time, she said the Trump administration “imports” white South Africans under the false guise of a genocide in South Africa.
“America cannot claim to be the land of the free while actively weaponising its immigration system against those seeking refuge and opportunity — all while creating a different set of rules that openly welcome white people in this country,” she added.
“On this Fourth of July, we refuse to join in the hollow celebration of ‘freedom’ while our people are hunted and treated as disposable,” Jozef continued. “The United States and Haiti are the two oldest republics in the Western Hemisphere and should be standing together as partners in the fight for freedom and human rights. Instead, the US shuts its doors when the people of Haiti need support the most — especially given the direct role US foreign policy has played in destabilising the Haiti.
“We demand an America where liberty is not a luxury for the privileged few, but a right guaranteed to all, regardless of race, nationality, or immigration status,” she said. “Yet, we hold hope that America can live up to its highest ideals, and we honor all those — past and present — who fight tirelessly to make liberty and justice a reality for everyone.”
But, in celebrating 249 years of America’s independence, New York State Haitian-American Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, honored the birth of the nation and the “enduring spirit of independence that defines America.”
The daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, noted that, on July 4, 1776, “the Thirteen Colonies boldly declared their freedom from British rule, setting the foundation for the United States.”
But while the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted on July 4, 1776, Bichotte Hermelyn said it was formally signed nearly a month later, on August 2, 1776.
She described it as “an act that affirmed our commitment to the unalienable rights and freedoms we continue to uphold today.
“We proudly celebrate the enduring values of independence, liberty and democracy,” Bichotte Hermelyn told CMC.
But, at the same time, she said that, as family and friends gathered to celebrate this historic day, “we do so at a time when our country faces deep reflection and reckoning.
“The ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence freedom, equality, and justice remain powerful, but unfinished promises for many Americans,” Bichotte Hermelyn said.
“In today’s climate, where division, injustice, and uncertainty often dominate the national conversation, it’s more important than ever to reaffirm our collective responsibility to protect and strengthen our democracy,” she added. “The freedoms we enjoy were hard-won by those who came before us and are protected each day by those who continue to serve and sacrifice in defense of our liberties.
“As we commemorate Independence Day, let us not only look back with pride, but also look forward with purpose,” Bichotte Hermelyn continued. “May this Fourth of July inspire us to come together, rise above what divides us, and commit ourselves to building a more just, inclusive, and united nation for all.”
New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, said “the true strength of the United States lies not only in its history, but in our continued commitment to building a more just and equitable society.
“This holiday commemorates the Declaration of Independence and the principles it set forth: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But these ideals ring hollow when our federal leaders actively work to dismantle the very systems that protect our most vulnerable neighbors,” she told CMC.
“It is deeply disappointing that, instead of investing in working families, hospitals, and essential services, the federal government is advancing a harmful agenda that threatens to strip health care coverage from over a million New Yorkers and gut funding from those who rely on these resources the most,” added the representative for the 45th Council District in Brooklyn.
“The foundations of this country are built on democracy, shared responsibility, and the belief that every person deserves dignity, opportunity, and support,” Louis continued. “On this Independence Day, we must recommit to those values, not just in word, but in action.
“I will continue to fight for policies that safeguard our healthcare systems, protect families from economic devastation, and ensure that every corner of the 45th District, regardless of race, income, or immigration status, has the resources to thrive,” she said. “Let us also honor the service and sacrifices of our veterans and active-duty military members, whose commitment to this country reminds us of what we must protect, both abroad and here at home.”