Month by month, the Biden administration had been allowing an increasing number of Haitians to enter the country, which allowed them to make asylum claims, and expelling far fewer on pandemic-era public health grounds. Elie’s sister-in-law, taking advantage of the easing policy, was establishing a new life in Florida with her husband and child — and beckoning the Elies to follow.

“She told me people with children won’t have a problem, because it had been easy for them,” said Elie, 33.

He emptied the family’s life savings and joined the surge of Haitians migrating from the South American nations where many settled years ago. But after a dangerous odyssey to Texas — and as pressure mounted on the Biden administration over a burgeoning migrant camp near the border — Elie and his family were apprehended by U.S. agents and summarily deported to a country they had not seen in years.

“Biden called us,” Elie said. Then, “Biden betrayed us.”