Marie Jeannard

But they couldn't send them, so they were like, yeah, it's probably a ploy just to make sure, like, even though we all qualify, we are deemed as political, but they didn't want us to come here. So they just put the sting on us, saying, like, we have AIDS. I think until the day my dad died, he was in denial that he was HIV positive.

But they couldn't send them, so they were like, yeah, it's probably a ploy just to make sure, like, even though we all qualify, we are deemed as political, but they didn't want us to come here. So they just put the sting on us, saying, like, we have AIDS. I think until the day my dad died, he was in denial that he was HIV positive.

It would get violent. A few times, I remember us getting really violent out there. They used to do those P-bomb, I guess you would call it. Because we have buckets, that's what we had to pee on at nighttime because nobody... You're not going to get up and go to the portal party.

It would get violent. A few times, I remember us getting really violent out there. They used to do those P-bomb, I guess you would call it. Because we have buckets, that's what we had to pee on at nighttime because nobody... You're not going to get up and go to the portal party.

So people would have those buckets, fill it with pee, and then create a pee bomb to throw at the military when it got bad.

So people would have those buckets, fill it with pee, and then create a pee bomb to throw at the military when it got bad.

My father refused to sign the paperwork to hand me over to the custody of the court. And it wasn't just my father. It was many of the parents. I think... Their mentality was we were their last ticket to come to the U.S. They believed the minute they give up their rights to us minors, they would take us and they would send them back to Haiti. And nobody wanted to do that. Nobody wanted to do that.

My father refused to sign the paperwork to hand me over to the custody of the court. And it wasn't just my father. It was many of the parents. I think... Their mentality was we were their last ticket to come to the U.S. They believed the minute they give up their rights to us minors, they would take us and they would send them back to Haiti. And nobody wanted to do that. Nobody wanted to do that.

They were like, if we hold on, eventually they would have to get... It was like, we come in as a unit, we want to go as a unit. But I think as time progresses and they realize the American, we call them the white people, weren't playing. So eventually, I think my dead one was one of the last person to actually... signed the paperwork, his consent, to award me to the court.

They were like, if we hold on, eventually they would have to get... It was like, we come in as a unit, we want to go as a unit. But I think as time progresses and they realize the American, we call them the white people, weren't playing. So eventually, I think my dead one was one of the last person to actually... signed the paperwork, his consent, to award me to the court.

Did you want him to let you go to the U.S.? Absolutely. I did not want to be there anymore. I told my dad if he didn't want me to sign the paperwork for me to send me, then release the consent for me to go back to Haiti. I didn't want to be there. Nobody would want to be there. I mean, for a while, it was fun being there. No school, no homework.

Did you want him to let you go to the U.S.? Absolutely. I did not want to be there anymore. I told my dad if he didn't want me to sign the paperwork for me to send me, then release the consent for me to go back to Haiti. I didn't want to be there. Nobody would want to be there. I mean, for a while, it was fun being there. No school, no homework.

But after a while, you start missing the food you used to eat. You miss your friends. You had your family. You don't have anybody. When I was there, I was molested. I didn't want to be there. It wasn't fun for me. I wanted to go. If I couldn't go to the U.S., I wanted to go home. And my dad knew that.

But after a while, you start missing the food you used to eat. You miss your friends. You had your family. You don't have anybody. When I was there, I was molested. I didn't want to be there. It wasn't fun for me. I wanted to go. If I couldn't go to the U.S., I wanted to go home. And my dad knew that.

I was super excited, super, super excited. I got called. I went to the processing center. At that processing center, usually you're there for a couple of days, and then they call your number again. So you get on a plane to come to the U.S.

I was super excited, super, super excited. I got called. I went to the processing center. At that processing center, usually you're there for a couple of days, and then they call your number again. So you get on a plane to come to the U.S.

You go to Miami, and then once you get to Miami, they put you in a halfway house and then await your final destination of wherever your first appearance is located. So when I went my first time and went to the processing center, I didn't get called again. So I got sent back to my dad. And my dad was highly pissed off. And I was highly disappointed.

You go to Miami, and then once you get to Miami, they put you in a halfway house and then await your final destination of wherever your first appearance is located. So when I went my first time and went to the processing center, I didn't get called again. So I got sent back to my dad. And my dad was highly pissed off. And I was highly disappointed.

And I thought, oh my gosh, am I back here for good? Am I not? This is not going to happen. About a week later, they called my number again. So this time I actually ended up, went through everything.

And I thought, oh my gosh, am I back here for good? Am I not? This is not going to happen. About a week later, they called my number again. So this time I actually ended up, went through everything.