WHO IS IMPACTED?

In light of Donald Trump recently being announced as the president-elect, there has been widespread discussion about Project 2025 and the mass deportation of immigrants. Per a CNN article from October 3, 2024, former President Trump stated that he would deport and revoke the Temporary Status of Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio who came to the United Stated under a "Biden-Harris administration parole program that gives permission to enter to vetted participants with US sponsors." The Temporary Status 'shields migrants from deportation and allows them to live and work in the country for a limited period of time.' However due to recent, disparaging remarks made by Donald Trump about those migrants - and due to the rise in racist, anti-immigrant, xenophobic rhetoric since his reelection - the Haitian migrants fear for their safety and stability in the United States.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The United States government is aware that Haitian migrants are fleeing the current conflict between U.S. Marshals and the Haitian freedom fighters who want Western influences (particularly the United States) out of their country. The Haitian people are still suffering from the coup d'état in July 2021 that resulted in the assassination of the President Jovenel Moises. However, the cause of the ongoing civil unrest and instability in Haiti stems from the early 1900s when the United States invaded Haiti to ‘protect its interests in the West Indies’ and ‘prevent a German invasion' as German merchants began integrating into Haitian society and conducting business. In 1914, U.S. Marshals invaded the republic of Haiti and stole $500,000 USD from the nation's bank and relocated those funds to a New York bank for 'safe-keeping'. The following year in 1915 the president at the time was assassinated.

In 1915, The Haitian-American Convention Treaty of 1915 was also established. This treaty was signed after the US occupation of Haiti in 1915. It gave the U.S. control over Haiti's finances and the right to intervene in Haiti. The treaty established the Haitian Gendarmerie, a military force made up of US citizens and Haitians. The treaty also forced the election of a pro-American president and prohibited Haiti from selling or renting territory to another foreign power.

Although 110 years have passed since the funds were stolen in 1914 with no return and although the U.S. occupation ended in 1934, the country has not recovered from being robbed and occupied by the U.S. The republic of Haiti has maintained close ties by allowing pro-American officials into office and exporting 80% of its goods to the nation. However the people of Haiti and their government have not benefited from this 'partnership' as unemployment, lack of education, and the economic crisis continue to deprive the people of healthy, stable living conditions. This is especially concerning given that Haiti is rich in resources like gold, copper, marble, natural oil, natural gas, coral reefs, the ‘extraterrestrial element’ iridium and much more. The mountains and the land provide the country with enough resources to be the superpower that it was after revolting against French colonizers and kicking them out of the country in 1804. Haiti’s abundance in resources is the reason that Germany took interest and sent its merchants to the region at the start of the 1900s. Those same resources peak the interest of Eastern powers who are establishing allies in the West in present day. 

For the past 110+ years, the Haitian government has remained an ally to the U.S. and has advocated for Western powers to help Haiti as they help themselves to its resources (like the U.S., French and Canadian mining companies who desire to mine the country's mountains). However the U.S. has stood in the way of the betterment of Haitian society instead. A 2011 article from The Nation reported that, "The US Embassy aided Levis, Hanes contractors in their fight AGAINST an increase in Haiti's minimum wage...The factory owners told the Haitian Parliament that they were willing to give workers a 9-cents-per-hour pay increase to 31 cents per hour to make T-shirts, bras and underwear for US clothing giants like Dockers and Nautica. But the factory owners refused to pay 62 cents per hour, or $5 per day, as a measure unanimously passed by the Haitian Parliament in June 2009 would have mandated. And they had the vigorous backing of the US Agency for International Development and the US Embassy hen they took that stand.” The article continues, "According to a 2008 Worker Rights Consortium study, a family of one working member and two dependents needed at least 550 Haitian gourdes, or $12.50, per day to meet normal living expenses." 

The article states that in response to this conflict, a State Department spokesperson wrote in a now-leaked email, “However, the State Department spokesperson added in the email: “In Haiti, approximately 80 percent of the population is unemployed and 78 percent earns less than $1 per day”— actually, according to the UN Development Program, 78 percent of Haitians live on less than $2, not $1, a day—and “the US government is working with the government of Haiti and international partners to help create jobs, support economic growth, promote foreign direct investment that meets ILO labor standards in the apparel industry and invest in agriculture and beyond.”

“…The Haiti cables also reveal how closely the US Embassy monitored widespread pro–minimum wage demonstrations and openly worried about the political impact of the minimum wage battle. UN troops were called in to quell student protests, sparking further demands from Haitians for the end of the 9,000-strong UN occupation.”

“…As the Haitian Platform for Development Alternatives put it in a press release in June 2009, ‘Every time the minimum wage has been discussed, Association of Haitian Industry (ADIH) has cried wolf to scare the government against its passage: that raising minimum wage would mean the certain and immediate closure of industry in Haiti and the cause of a sudden loss of jobs. In every case, it was a lie.”

What this article by The Nation reveals is how the US supported low wages for Haitian laborers who worked for US companies although the US Embassy closely monitored the minimum wage issue and recognized that Haitians were making 31 cents per hour instead of the $12.50 daily rate that they needed to meet normal living expenses. Per the article, “Still the proposal engendered fierce opposition from Haiti’s tiny assembly zone elite, which Washington had long been supporting with direct financial aid and free trade deals.”

THE ISSUE

The U.S. had long-been providing direct financial assistance and area trade deals to Haiti’s elite per the article by The Nation. When given the opportunity to “support economic growth,” the "US Embassy aided Levis, Hanes contractors in their fight AGAINST an increase in Haiti's minimum wage. And they had the vigorous backing of the US Agency for International Development and the US Embassy when they took that stand.” When the US Embassy became ‘openly worried’ about the political impact of the minimum wage conflict due to protests by students “UN troops were called in to quell student protests, sparking further demands from Haitians for the end of the 9,000-strong UN occupation”.

Instead of the United Nation intervening to ensure that US contractors paid the Haitian laborers a livable wage, the group sent its troops to ‘quell’ the courageous students who protested. This is one of many instances in Haiti that has allowed exploitation, unemployment, food insecurity and the overall economic crisis to persist for the last century. The Haitian people have been crippled by Western entities who desire to take but not to give. Thus the Haitian people have repeatedly resorted to protesting their government to reevaluate its contracts with the US and creating initiatives like Hands Off Haiti. The presence of U.S. Marshals and troops from other nations in Haiti during coups d’état has resulted in Haitians having to flee out of fear for their lives and in search for opportunity. 

Like many migrants, Haitian immigrants have been faced with scrutiny and mistreatment at the hands of anti-immigrant Americans who fear that immigrants are taking jobs from them. The truth about the lack of job availability in Haiti, the unlivable wages and how the US contributes to the economic crisis in Haiti is not largely covered in the media. However, some immigrants and members of other ethnic groups receive reparations and tax benefits in the U.S. for crimes against their people unlike the Haitian Americans who haven’t received reparations from France nor the US and whose government wasn’t repaid for the $500,000 USD stolen in 1914 (equivalent to $15,765,050 USD in 2024). 

There are approximately 1.2 million Americans living in the United States as immigrants and/or citizens. The US State Department spokesperson wrote in a now-leaked email that, “the US government is working with the government of Haiti and international partners to help create jobs, support economic growth, promote foreign direct investment that meets ILO labor standards in the apparel industry and invest in agriculture and beyond.”

However, for the past 110 years, Haitians have come to or have been born in the U.S. and received no economic stimulus package despite the US Embassy and US government knowing how it benefits greatly from the cheap labor provided by Haitians, the country’s abundance of resources and the pro-American officials sitting in office. The Biden administration provided the Temporary Protected Status to migrants - including Haitians - which is only a temporary solution. The Haitian migrants would not have to still flee their homes in present day if the US Marshals were not engaged with conflict on their island repeatedly. The Haitian-Americans wouldn’t have to search for work in the states and across the globe if the people were able to live and profit off of the resources on their land. The U.S. desires to maintain access to Haiti to protect its interest in the nation just as it did 100+ years ago when Germany began scouting the nation. However the people of Haiti support the freedom fighters’ fight to push out the West for good. Although the country does not manufacture any weapons, the freedom fighters are being well-supported by an entity with a vested interest in the conflict. Given the rise of nations joining the BRICS group - whose objective is ‘to challenge the economic and political dominance of the West’ - it’s likely that there are many Eastern powers who would want to remove Haiti from under the American imperialist boot and allow their nation to profit off of Haiti’s exports instead. And unlike 110+ years ago, there are more superpowers (like Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, India) establishing allies with Western nations - particularly in the West Indies. The US would have much more to worry about than Germany if Haiti - with its trillions of dollars worth of resources - were to form an alliance with Eastern leaders.

WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT

It is in the best interest of the US to negotiate a peace treaty with Haiti that doesn’t permit the country to exploit the sovereign nation for its resources and allows the people to benefit from the ‘financial aid’ and ‘free trade deals’ that the Haitian elite have reportedly been provided. The Haitian citizens have long-provided cheap labor, resources and assets to the US even after being robbed and destabilized by the country. With the incoming 2025 administration in the US, now is a wise time to reevaluate the relationship between both nations before the current uprising leads to ties being permanently severed.  

The Ayisyen Haitian American Refugee Reparations Program (AHARRP) would provide opportunities of economic development for Haitian American citizens and Haitian immigrants. The development of a reparations package would allow Haitian-descent Americans to create jobs (businesses), become international partners across both nations, support economic growth and ‘promote foreign direct investment’ just as the State Department spokesperson claimed that the U.S. is working to do. This proposal serves as a guide that the U.S. can use to accomplish that objective if the country wants to remain partners with Haiti. 

The Ayisyen Haitian American Refugee Reparations Proposal calls for reparations for the Haitian government and the Haitian American Collective.

For The Haitian Government:

Charge 1 - Cease Fire In Haiti & Removal of the U.S. Marshals and Other Forces

The republic of Haiti has made it known to the U.N., the U.S. and the Kenyan forces who intervened that foreign nations are not welcome to occupy their territory yet the invasion of Haiti is currently ongoing. 

Charge 2 - Reparations for the Haitian Government

The U.S. needs to pay back the $15,765,050 USD stolen ($500K in 1914) with a 14% interest rate and time period of 100 years. $15,765,050x(0.14)x100 years = $220,710,700.0 owed to Haiti.  

They've had 110 years since 1914 to return the stolen funds. Instead in 1922, a US Bank (National City Bank) acquired the Haiti’s Bank of National Resources (BNRH) and moved its headquarters to New York City. This resulted in Haiti’s remaining debt to France being moved to pay American investors instead. The US benefited from receiving a ‘debt’ that France forced Haiti to pay in order for the country to be recognized as an independent nation. The US gained complete control of Haitian finances - including the treasury - and forced Haiti to repay American loans. These funds are what Haiti needed for its economic development but it was stolen by France and the U.S. The millions of dollars in ‘humanitarian aid’ provided by the U.S. over the years has not improved the economy, unemployment epidemic and the food insecurity crisis. Thus Haiti would benefit from receiving a return of its funds with interest in order to develop the country without interference.

$15,765,050x(0.14)x100 years = $220,710,700.0 is owed to the Haitian government. 

For The Haitian American Collective (immigrants and citizens):

Charge 3 - Dual-Citizenship for the Haitian American Collective.

-The Haitian migrants shall receive dual citizenship upon arrival to the States for having to flee their homes due to US-involved conflict (asylum seekers).

-Haitian immigrants who have resided in the country during 1914-2025 and incoming Haitian migrants (not seeking asylum) shall also receive dual citizenship to the United States and Haiti. 

-Haitian Americans born to Haitian migrants and Haitian immigrants shall receive dual citizenship at time of birth or the time of filing.

Charge 4 - Tax Breaks For The Haitian American Collective.

The Haitian American citizens and tax-paying immigrants shall receive tax breaks including one or all of the following:

- 40% tax refund on taxable income as restitution payment,

- A deduction in taxable income by 40%,

- Reductions on federal, local income and property taxes,

- Tax credits, exclusions or exemptions for Haitian Americans doing business in both countries

Charge 5 - Reparations for the Haitian American Collective.

The Haitian American citizens and immigrants who have resided in the U.S. during the years 1914-2025 shall receive a reparations cash payout or check in the amount of $500,000 USD per person. Reparations for Haitian asylum seekers shall also be considered for US-involved conflict.

Charge 6 -  Stop Exploiting - The U.S. shall stop mining Haiti for its resources without allowing the country to profit from its imports/exports.

Charge 7 -  Condemn & Call For Reparations - The U.S. shall act as a 'world leader' and urge its allies like France & Canada to provide a reparations package (like this one AHARRP) for Haitian citizens in their countries and to the Haitian government.

Charge 8 - End Media Propaganda Against Haiti - U.S. media outlets often depict Haiti and its people poorly despite the U.S. knowing the globe relies on its exports, its minerals and its islands for luxury. Stop disparaging the Haitian people, the culture and the country in media.

Note:

There are 1.2 million Haitians living in the U.S. $500,000 per person x 1.2 million people = $600 billion USD. The U.S. has money for wars and trillions of dollars have reportedly gone unaccounted for. If they have money for war and money to lose then they have money for refugees and their American-born descendants who were forced to flee to the U.S. due to conflicts the US initiated or enabled.  

The Ayisyen Haitian American Refugee Reparations Package - Recap of the AHARRP Benefit 

For the Haitian Government: repay the $15,765,050 USD with a 14% interest rate at 100 years = $220,710,700.0 USD

For the Haitian American collective:

a) automatic dual citizenship upon arrival, time of birth or time of filing.

b) 40% tax breaks (deductions, refunds, credits) for citizens and tax-paying immigrants

c) a check or cash payout of $500,000 USD for all Haitian-descent American citizens and Haitian-descent immigrants who have resided in the U.S. from 1914-2025.

 

CONCLUSION 

For 110 years the Haitian government, the Haitian refugees and Haitian citizens have endured trauma, senseless violence, food insecurity, invasions, presidential assassinations, civil unrest, instability and duress due to US-involved conflicts with zero restitution or reparations provided to the aforementioned parties. The United States must rectify its wrong-doings to the Haitian government and diaspora - like robbing and destabilizing the country. It's in the best interest of the U.S. to repair the damage it has done to Haiti and to cease all violence it enables in the country in order to continue trading and to protect its 'interests'. The Haitian people will rise and become the economic superpower that it was in the West after the Haitian Revolution. As that time comes, the government is likely to consider other world leaders as allies and sever its ties to the US. It would benefit both nations to consider a reparations package for the Haitian government and Haitian diaspora in the United States to establish a true alliance. 

The Ayisyen Haitian American Refugee Reparations Program (AHARRP) would provide opportunities of economic development for Haitian American citizens and Haitian immigrants. The development of a reparations package would allow Haitian-descent Americans to create jobs (businesses), become international partners across both nations, support economic growth and promote foreign direct investment just as the U.S. claims to do. This proposal serves as a guide that the United States can turn into a program that offers a benefits package while maintaining the AHARRP acronym. I urge you to consider using this proposal to accomplish that objective if the country wants to remain partners with Haiti. 

United we stand, divided we fall.