Quixote Center Applauds Bipartisan Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act

The humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to worsen as its people suffer from a crisis of violence and hunger, fueled by weapons and ammunition trafficked from the US. Due to the rescission of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians set to take place in August 2025, many more Haitians who are in the US legally are at risk of being deported back to Haiti which does not have the infrastructure or resources to resettle them.

In the midst of this, we are happy to report some good news! Thanks to the collective advocacy of our supporters and our partners, on Thursday, May 22, the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Curtis (R-UT) and Chris Coons (D-DE), reintroduced  the bipartisan Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act.

This bipartisan legislation requires the US Department of State to provide an annual report to Congress on ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti, many of whom reside in or have property in the US, to determine the sources of financial support for the gangs. The bill then requires the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on certain individuals identified in the report, if appropriate under U.S. law.

Companion legislation, H.R. 2643 was introduced in the House of Representatives on April 3, 2025 by Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee along with Representatives Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman Emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus. The other co-sponsors are Rep. Lawler (R-NY), Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Rep. Moskowitz (D-FL), Rep. Bell (D-MO) and Rep. McCormick (R-GA).

Quixote Center applauds this bipartisan legislation as an important step to curtail the power of Haiti's gangs by directing sanctions at Haiti's political and economic elites who finance gangs and benefit from gang violence. Cutting off the financing to arms dealing in Haiti is crucial because it deprives gangs of the weapons they use to dominate communities and fuel widespread violence. Reducing the flow of illegal weapons helps protect civilians and creates space for long-term governance and security reforms.

We are proud to have supported this legislation when it was first introduced in 2023. We are indebted to the tireless efforts of the Haitian-led diaspora in the United States, and a special shoutout to Quixote Center's Board Member, Claudette David for her work in this cause.

We are grateful for the ongoing dialogue with our bipartisan colleagues on the Hill. We also want to thank you - our supporters - for your efforts in advocating for this bill with your representatives throughout the last year. Each email sent or phone call made to your representatives made an impact.

Because it has strong bipartisan support, we are hopeful the legislation will finally pass the House and Senate. We will keep our community updated as this unfolds. In the meantime, may this serve as an inspiring reminder for us all that we can push the needle on important humanitarian issues. This bipartisan bill is proof that, collectively, we can continue to fight for a better environment for Haitians, migrants, and those on the move.

Take action: If you are a resident of NH, FL, UT, VA or DE, or if any of the House co-sponsors are your Representative, we encourage you to call their offices to express your appreciation for their work on this bill on behalf of the people of Haiti. The US House of Representatives Switchboard is (202) 225-3121; the Senate is (202) 224-3121. In the coming weeks we will offer the opportunity to write letters to your Members of Congress asking for their vote.

To learn more about the current situation in Haiti and the importance of halting arms trafficking, please follow the links below:

U.S. lawmakers want mandatory sanctions, reporting on Haiti as gang violence worsens: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article306976306.html

Ranking Member Shaheen, Senators Kaine, Scott, Curtis, Coons Lead Bipartisan Bill to Address Gang-Violence in Haiti: https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/dem/release/ranking-member-shaheen-senators-kaine-scott-curtis-coons-lead-bipartisan-bill-to-address-gang-violence-in-haiti

Gun Trafficking from the US Fuels Migration: https://quixote.org/posts/gun-trafficking-from-the-us-fuels-migration

New Data on the U.S. Gun Trade to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean: A report by Stop US Arms to Mexico: https://stopusarmstomexico.org/no-shelter-from-the-storm/