The US special envoy to Haiti resigned Thursday two months after his appointment, denouncing the Biden administration's deportation of Haitian migrants from the US-Mexico border back to their home country.

"I will not be associated with the United States inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees and illegal immigrants to Haiti," State Department Special envoy Daniel Foote said in a scathing letter of resignation.

In the letter to US Secretary of state Antony Blinken, Foote described Haiti as a place where US diplomats "are confined to secure compounds because of the danger posed by armed gangs in control of daily life."

"Mired in poverty, hostage to the terror," Foote wrote, the Haitian population "simply cannot support the forced infusion of thousands of returned migrants lacking food, shelter, and money without additional, avoidable human tragedy."

"More refugees will fuel further desperation and crime," he wrote.

The resignation came after the administration of President Joe Biden began last weekend loading Haitian migrants who crossed into the country from Mexico onto aircraft and flying them back to haiti.

Haitian migrants to the United States cross the Rio Grande river from texas back to mexico to get food and water.
Haitian migrants to the United States cross the Rio Grande river from texas back to mexico to get food and water. AFP / PEDRO PARDO

Many of the thousands who crossed the border actually travelled from South America, where some said they fled to years ago from the grinding poverty of Haiti.

pmh/dw