Florida Democrat, Val Demings, has introduced the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2022 to the House of Representatives which will require the US Department of State to investigate the nature of the relationship between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti, and to submit an annual report on the topic to Congress.
“Governments must protect their citizens. I’m fighting for a Haiti free from fear and gang violence, where the Haitian people have the safety and freedom to build their own future,” said Demings.
“This new legislation will help us identify bad actors behind Haiti’s lawlessness and hold them accountable. After the brazen assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, killings and kidnappings have soared, with the backing of Haitian political and economic elites,” she said, adding that the United States must take concrete steps to hold these “criminals accountable and help the Haitian people achieve stability, freedom, human rights, and democracy”.
Demings said the legislation follows successful models used to investigate corruption in Russia and other nations and to lay the groundwork for U.S. sanctions and cooperative international crackdowns.
Demings co-chairs the House Haiti Caucus, which she helped to form in 2021. Over the past year, the Caucus has closely monitored efforts to restore democracy in Haiti, worked to ensure the safety of kidnapped missionaries and led efforts to send COVID-19 vaccines to Haiti.
Following the assassination of Moïse in July last year, Demings has led calls for stability, security, and democracy, including a transparent, independent investigation into the assassination. She has also pushed the Biden-Harris administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler Ariel Henry.
Val Demings has successfully called for the redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and a renewal of the lapsed Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP) program and called for an immediate halt to deportations of Haitian asylum seekers which has contributed to a worsening crisis.
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