Policy Resolution IAF-26-07

WHEREAS, Haiti, the world’s first Black republic, has endured two centuries of externally imposed burdens including the 19th-century “independence debt” to France repaid into the mid-20th century that drained public wealth and stunted development—effects economists estimate to have cost tens of billions of dollars over time;

WHEREAS, the United States militarily occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934, reorganizing national institutions and leaving legacies that continue to shape Haiti’s security and governance challenges;

WHEREAS, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported in August of 2005 that in many neighborhoods, getting drinking water had become a daily challenge and, in some cases, a mortal danger, and that residents take their lives in their hands when going in search of water, as some distribution points are located in areas affected by armed clashes;

WHERAS, in 2010, a 7.0 earthquake in the Republic of Haiti caused an estimated 300,000 deaths, displaced more than a million people, and damaged nearly half of all structures in the epicentral area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey;

WHERAS, in 2021 on August 14, Haiti was hit by a 7.2 earthquake and two days later the island was hit by Tropical Depression Grace, UNICEF estimated that some 1.2 million people, including 540,000 children, have been affected by the earthquake and about half a million Haitian children had limited or no access to shelter, safe water, health care and nutrition;

WHEREAS, after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, a Transitional Presidential Council struggled to restore order;

WHEREAS, since January 2024, over 5,600 people have been killed due to gang violence, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office;

WHEREAS, the UN International Organization for Migration estimates that over 1.4 million people have become internally displaced as they have fled gang violence and instability, up from 315,000 in December 2023; and

WHEREAS, today Haiti faces a multi-dimensional emergency marked by record displacement, widespread hunger, and institutional fragility, resulting in approximately 3.3 million children needing humanitarian support, according to UNICEF.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) affirms solidarity with the Haitian people and supports a Haitian-led path to stability grounded in the rule of law, accountable governance, human rights, and economic recovery;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL calls on Congress and the White House to increase humanitarian aid, expand and streamline lawful protection pathways, and maintain or redesignate Temporary Protected Status;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges U.S. state legislatures to:

• partner with Haitian and Dominican diaspora organizations;
• combat anti-Black racism and xenophobia;
• support community organizations providing legal aid, health care access, education, and resettlement services to affected families;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL believes that the situation in Haiti is a perfect example of the crucial need for U.S. Agency for International Development, and urges Congress and the President to restore this vital agency; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• Resolution ID: IAF-26-07
• Sponsored by: Assem. Corey Jackson (CA)
• Policy Committee: International Affairs Policy Committee