New Bill to Combat Gang Violence in Haiti Introduced in U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON.— The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act is an initiative by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Chris Coons (D-DE), which aims to reassert U.S. leadership in combating Haiti's growing security crisis. This bipartisan initiative has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate to help address the challenge of rampant gang violence currently plaguing Haiti.

Indeed, in a statement published on May 22, 2025, the American parliamentarians highlighted the devastating impact of the escalating violence, which has already led to the displacement of over one million Haitian citizens, placing women and children, in particular, at the heart of an alarming humanitarian crisis.

Through this bill, strict sanctions would be imposed on both Haitian gangs and armed criminal actors, as well as their political and economic supporters.

Senator Shaheen emphasized that this bipartisan bill represents a significant step forward in addressing and preventing criminal collusion and violence in Haiti. "The United States must be prepared to protect its national security interests while ensuring the stability and security of the region," she stated.

For his part, Senator Rick Scott stressed the impact of corrupt elites, noting that, thanks to this bill, the collusion between criminals and figures of power would be exposed. "This bill exposes this collusion, affirming our stance against this violence," he declared.

Furthermore, John Curtis emphasized: "The deteriorating security in Haiti represents a direct challenge to U.S. interests in the region." For Chris Coons, "the security of Americans is intrinsically linked to that of Haiti," stating that "a stable and secure Haiti benefits everyone."

The measures envisioned by the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act include the imposition of sanctions against gangs and political and economic elites, as well as the requirement to produce detailed inter-agency reports on the nature and extent of criminal collusion in Haiti. The bill also provides for a comprehensive assessment of the threats this collusion poses to U.S. interests. This assessment will be accompanied by recommendations aimed at strengthening democratic governance and assistance to the Haitian government.

It should be noted that a similar complementary legislative initiative was, in parallel, introduced in the House of Representatives by New York Congressman Gregory Meeks. His bill has already received a favorable opinion from the U.S. Congress's Foreign Affairs Committee in April 2025.