US House of Representatives' Haiti Caucus Renews Calls For US to Halt Deportations

WASHINGTON, DC – The co-chairs of the United States House of Representatives’ Haiti Caucus have condemned recent violence and political instability in Haiti, and called on the Biden administration to halt all deportations to the French-speaking Caribbean country.

The call by the House Haiti Caucus co-chairs Yvette D. Clarke, Ayanna Pressley and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick follows the sudden dismissal of interim Haitian prime minister Garry Conille and the targeting of airplanes by Haitian gangs.

“The increasing violent gang activity and attacks on commercial airlines in Haiti have further destabilised the island, putting the Haitian people at greater risk and underscored the need for a comprehensive humanitarian response from the United States,” the co-chairs said in a joint statement.

“In light of these deteriorating circumstances and the subsequent decision by the Federal Aviation Administration to ban all US flights to Haiti for 30 days, we renew our call for the Biden-Harris administration to immediately halt all deportations, further combat illicit arms trafficking and deliver the humanitarian assistance needed in Haiti,” they added.

Further, Clarke, Pressley and Cherfilus-McCormick urged their colleagues in the US Congress to renew the HOPE/HELP programme and continue “this vital partnership to strengthen Haiti’s economic stability.

“The people of Haiti and the Haitian Diaspora have suffered enough, and the United States must do more to protect lives and ensure Haiti has the support it needs,” they urged.

The Biden administration said on Tuesday that Washington recognised that the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) in Haiti and Conille were “unable to move forward in a constructive manner.”

US Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said the administration took “note of the TPC’s decision to name his successor.

“The United States looks forward to working with newly-appointed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and the TPC to advance progress against urgent priorities in the coming months,” said Miller, adding that the United States also thanked former prime minister Conille for his “distinguished service to his country.”

Miller said the United States welcomed the commitment of the TPC and new prime minister to release a joint action plan “that outlines their vision to improve security and governance, and to set a path toward free and fair elections.

“The United States views it as vital that they clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of the TPC vis-à-vis the prime minister, and include measures to hold one another accountable as appropriate, while preventing further gridlock,” he said.

“It is also imperative to promote accountability within the TPC to maintain credibility with the Haitian people and the international community. The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people mandate that the transitional government prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors.”

Miller said the United States “remains steadfastly committed to supporting the Haitian people, who face historic levels of violence, food insecurity and displacement.”

On Thursday, the United Nations said insecurity and overlapping crises afflicting Haiti are continuing to fuel “a dire humanitarian situation across the Caribbean nation.”

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters  that, according to UN migration agency, IOM, more than 4,300 people have fled their homes in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, and neighboring towns.

“Despite the insecurity and access restrictions, we, along with our partners, are responding to the growing needs resulting from the continued and increasing violence,” Dujarric said.

In the past two days, the UN said its children’s agency, UNICEF, has provided cash to nearly 1,500 people sheltering at displacement sites in the gang-ravaged capital.

The UN also said its reproductive health agency, UNFPA, and IOM have deployed mobile health clinics, and are also providing clean water supplies to those in need.

Beginning on Thursday, the World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered assistance to more than 50,000 internally displaced men, women and children in the capital, aiming to reach more than 135,000 displaced people with hot meals by the end of November, the UN said.

Across Haiti, the UN said WFP has also provided cash to nearly 100,000 people and is delivering daily meals to 430,000 children in 2,000 schools across the country.

The UN said its Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti has called for US$674 million but is 45 per cent funded with US$289 million in cash received.

On the campaign trail, US President Elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President elect JD Vance had constantly disparaged immigrants, particularly Haitians and that deporting immigrants will be his top priority on his first day in office in January next year.