On Wednesday, Biden for President Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to Senator Kamala Harris Karine Jean-Pierre participated in several interviews with prominent Haitian radio programs in Miami-Dade, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Broward counties. Jean-Pierre, the campaign's highest ranking Haitian-American staffer, addressed key issues to the Haitian community, including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ COVID-19 recovery plans, legislative immigration reform, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and family reunification.
Interviews included:
- Radio Nouvelle Lumière - Raynald “Baba” Delerme on WBPR 96.1;
- WLQY 1320 AM with Marleine Bastien;
- WPBR 1340 AM with Hallan Daphnis;
- WLQY 1320 AM with Guylene Berry;
- WLQY 1320 AM with Thony Jean Thenor; and
- WRCH 1610 AM with Wilfried Presa.
Karine Jean-Pierre spoke with the hosts about different issues impacting the Haitian community in South Florida:
On building a diverse coalition:
“We understand, they understand that we can’t take any vote for granted and that in order to win Florida, we have to build a diverse coalition of voters, right, and it's across the state, including Haitan-Americans.There is so much at stake in the election and every vote makes a difference, and we have to make sure that we fight for the interest of the Caribbean community, that we fight for the interests of the Haitian community - especially as we look at COVID-19 and how it has devastated communities across the spectrum.”
On rebuilding our economy:
“We have to rebuild the economy, because tens of millions of people have lost their jobs because of mismanagement of COVID-19, and we have to pass immigration reform legislation that protects the Haitian community and that protects our communities as a whole.”
On Trump’s cruel immigration policies:
“On day one, on day one, the moment that he takes the oath and becomes president of the United States in January, he’s going to take urgent action to end Trump's cruel and inhumane border policies that rip children from their mothers arms; protect DREAMers and their families recognizing them as Americans that they are; reverse Trump’s public charge rule, which is critical and important; send real legislative immigration reform to Congress as I just mentioned with a roadmap to citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants who already make our communities strong as we all know...”
On Biden’s support for TPS:
“Joe Biden has committed to protecting TPS and Deferred Enforcement Departure holders from being returned to countries that are unsafe...As he has said over and over again and will continue to say as president of the United States, he stands with the families in this country who have been impacted by Trump’s cruel immigration policies.”
On the importance of the Haitian vote:
“It’s so important to use our power, right, the power we have as voters, the power that we have as a community. The Haitian community is such a strong, powerful block and unit and we just have to continue like we have done for decades upon decades, continue to use the power that we have and voting is one of them. As a proud Haitian-American, I know we cannot take any vote for granted here in South Florida, and that is something the campaign understands, that is why I’m proud to work for Joe Biden...I’ve known Joe Biden for over a decade and I believe, and so many believe that he will be a champion for our community and he’s giving us a reason to vote...”
“I think he’s giving the community a reason to vote, a reason to organize our community and that's what the Haitian community has to continue to do... If we are able to vote as a block in South Florida, and Haitians come out in a big way like we know that they will, it gives you a seat at the table, it gives the community a seat at the table. Bring the policies, bring the plans, bring the ideas, because you will have a seat at the table and that is the way we make change.”
On Biden and Harris’ record with communities of color:
“What Donald Trump has done has been devastating to our country and to our community, devastating. He has a complete disregard for the Haitian community, a complete disregard for the Black community at large, for the brown community at large. He does not care, and I think Joe Biden and Senator Harris have a proven record, and just see what they have done and look at what their plans are... They will do the work on day one, but we have to get them there. We have to come out and vote, and we have to get them to the White House and that means all of us getting to the polls, voting early, voting by mail, and making sure that we make sure our community comes out and votes, our households get out and vote in order to have real power.”
On foreign relations:
“Biden respects and supports Democracy and he supports free and fair elections and that is based on his track record, that is based on relationships that he’s had with foreign governments across the globe - that was a big role that he played in the Obama-Biden administration and so if you look at his track record you will see a partnership.”
