Haitian Caucus condemns US decision to freeze $13m for security mission
Published:Monday | February 17, 2025 | 9:31 AMLester Hinds/Gleaner Writer
NEW YORK:
The United States House of Representatives’ Haitian Caucus has condemned the Trump administration’s decision to freeze US$13 million in contributions to the Kenyan-led United Nations multinational security mission in the CARICOM country. The mission, which is essential in combating gang violence in Haiti, has been struggling with underfunding and lack of personnel.
The co-chairs of the Haitian Caucus, Yvette Clarke (Brooklyn), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Florida), and Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts), expressed deep disappointment, stating that halting the funds would exacerbate Haiti’s ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis.
“We are deeply disappointed that the Trump administration is halting necessary and life-saving assistance to Haiti,” they said, emphasising the dire need for continued support.
Clarke, also the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, highlighted that while the Biden administration had pledged US$15 million in aid through the UN Trust Fund, only US$1.7 million has been spent so far. She and the other co-chairs stressed that suspending aid at this critical time, especially as Haitian nationals face the threat of losing their temporary protected status (TPS), could send them back to a violent and unstable environment.
“We have a responsibility to honour the commitment we made to support Haitian stability and the safety of all its people. We cannot send Haitians who have sought legal refuge in the US back to a country overrun by gangs and violence without assistance and taking every effort to ensure their safety,” the co-chairs added.
Hedder Pierre-Joseph, chair of the Haitian Caucus of the Democratic Party of Florida, also criticised the freeze, emphasising that Haiti’s needs are urgent.
“I am saddened that the money has been frozen because Haiti needs help,” she said.
The mission, working alongside Haiti’s underfunded National Police, has been crucial in combating gang violence as the police force only has around 4,000 officers to serve a population of over 11 million.
The funding freeze was announced shortly after 70 soldiers from El Salvador joined over 600 Kenyan officers already on the ground in Haiti, supported by police and soldiers from other nations, including Jamaica. The US has been the largest contributor to the mission, which is now facing a severe shortfall. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that US$13.3 million had been frozen out of the original US$15-million commitment.
This freeze comes amid President Donald Trump’s broad freeze on foreign aid, leaving many global programmes in limbo. While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has offered waivers for life-saving programmes, uncertainty remains about what aid is exempt from the freeze.
FUTURE OF THE MISSION UNCERTAIN
“We will await further guidance from the US regarding its contribution,” said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
The freeze has raised concerns about the future of the mission.
“The international security mission in Haiti was already facing very great odds,” said Michael Deibert, an expert on Haitian affairs. “With this withdrawal of aid, it will make their job there even harder.”
Gang violence has reached unprecedented levels in Haiti, with gangs controlling 85 per cent of Port-au-Prince. Recent attacks have left at least 40 dead, and the situation continues to worsen. In 2023, over 5,600 people were killed, and more than one million people were displaced. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that without additional support, the gangs could take full control of the capital.
The reduction in US funding could force Haiti to rely more on local solutions, but analysts are skeptical about the Haitian government’s ability to manage the crisis.
Jake Johnston, of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, noted that the US has long been a major aid source for Haiti, and the freeze has already disrupted programmes such as HIV/AIDS treatment.
“Few countries across the world are as dependent on US foreign assistance as Haiti,” Johnston wrote.