Republicans in Congress block aid to Haiti amid unrest

Republicans in Congress are blocking $40 million in aid requested by the Biden administration to help stabilize Haiti amid a rise in gang violence there, despite warnings that continued chaos could lead to a humanitarian crisis and push migrants to flee the country to the United States.

Top Republicans on the House and Senate Foreign Relations committees, which have approval authority over the money, have pressed the State Department to detail how the money will be spent. They have expressed concern that American taxpayer dollars could end up in the hands of the groups that led the violent uprising.

The State Department requested the funding last year as part of $100 million it had promised for a multinational security support mission in Haiti, approved by the United Nations Security Council, led by Kenya. The Kenyan government agreed to deploy security forces to Haiti, while other countries, including the United States, offered financing, equipment and logistical support.

Another $100 million would come from the Department of Defense. The foreign aid portion requires approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

But Republicans in Congress denied the administration’s initial $50 million request, which, according to a Republican aide on the House panel, was only one page and did not include specific information about its use. Despite concerns, they agreed in December to release $10 million toward costs already incurred since the mission was approved, but withheld the remaining $40 million, demanding a more detailed plan on how it would be allocated.

Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said it is not clear whether agreements made under former Prime Minister Ariel Henry of Haiti, who resigned amid the unrest, are still valid, or how the mission hopes to arrive safely. international troops enter the country.

“The human suffering and evolving crisis in Haiti are tragic,” Mr. Risch said last week in a joint statement with Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. “Yet, after years of discussions, repeated requests for information and the provision of partial funding to help them plan, this afternoon the government sent us a rough plan to tackle this crisis.”

State Department officials said they have worked with both committees several times to address concerns and continue to provide updates on how the already released funds have been spent.

“The State Department continues to engage congressional committees and has provided 68 briefings to staff and members on this topic since May 2023,” the State Department said in a statement. “We have provided Congress with clear overviews and regular updates on the expenditures of this $10 million.”

It said the additional $40 million would “ensure the success of the mission,” including by covering equipment and personnel costs.

As discussions between Congress and the State Department continue, mob attacks on critical infrastructure in Haiti’s capital have pushed the country deeper into the grip of political violence and chaos not seen in decades. The United Nations says more than 362,000 people are internally displaced and the country is approaching a humanitarian crisis.

Some Republicans say they are concerned that sending aid and support without a clear plan could worsen the situation given Haiti’s history of corruption. A coalition of gangs continues to exert influence, while the country is without a credible leader.

“What they’re asking me to do is release $50 million in cash and weapons to go into Haiti without governance,” McCaul said during an interview on Fox News on Sunday. “We have a history in this country of throwing guns and guns at countries and it’s counterproductive. Until I have assurance that the money can be accounted for and is going to the right purpose, I cannot in good conscience release that funding to the American taxpayer, but most importantly to the Haitian people themselves.”

Late last year, a group of Democrats also expressed concern about US support for armed intervention in Haiti. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Representatives Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts, Yvette D. Clarke of New York and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, the Democrats leading the House Haiti Caucus, said the Kenyan-led security service operation lacked ‘a clear mission and strategy’. They urged the withdrawal of “support for military intervention” and said the priority should be “a representative transitional government in Haiti.”

But since Mr. Henry’s resignation, and amid rising violence and a serious humanitarian crisis, much of that skepticism has given way to calls for full funding of the international mission.

“In December, my colleagues and I were concerned about the lack of strategy and understanding about how this funding would be delivered,” Ms Clarke said on Tuesday. “As the situation has become more dire, it is imperative that we send these funds to help support efforts to help restore stability and democracy in Haiti.”

She joined a growing number of Democrats in arguing that a delay could further destabilize the country and lead to thousands of Haitians trying to enter the United States, adding to pressure on the already tense border .

“Congress must provide funding for urgent relief to restore safety and stability to the Haitian people and prevent another migrant crisis,” said Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia. wrote in a social media post last week.

In a letter, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, called on Speaker Mike Johnson and Mr. McCaul to release the money.

“The situation on the ground in Haiti has rapidly deteriorated, while Republicans in the House of Representatives have refused to provide the resources necessary to carry out this mission,” Mr. Jeffries wrote. “Now is the time to release the full $50 million in security assistance.”