Haiti and Haitians in 2026

Haiti remains volatile. According to the most recent report from the UN Security Council, there are now 1.4 million people displaced, 12% of the population, and 5.9 million people facing hunger, with 1.9 million facing extreme hunger. There are also alarming levels of sexual violence, with women and girls the primary victims. Gang violence remains widespread, with a reported 8100 total killings nationwide between January and November 2025. Half of gang members are children, who remain at extreme risk due to school closures and lack of opportunity. Local press is also reporting horrific civilian casualties from government-sponsored drone attacks targeting gangs.

The mandate of the current government, called the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), expires February 7, with no succession plan in place. The United States is putting pressure on what's left of the Haitian TPC to retain the current Prime Minister, which the TPC has declined to do. The US then sanctioned two members of the TPC. The United States, together with the United Nations, is organizing a Gang Suppression Force (GSF) with a goal to restore order in Haiti, laying the groundwork for future elections and distribution of humanitarian aid. The multinational GSF is due to deploy in May or June.

In this context, the Haiti Advocacy Working Group, which our ED Kim Lamberty co-leads, developed a letter to US government officials about the GSF, urging them to work with credible Haitian civil society actors to ensure that the GSF protects civilians, takes accountability for human rights abuses, and ensures that the crises' root causes are addressed. Although we remain skeptical, Quixote Center is not taking a position on use of the GSF to solve Haiti's immediate problems, because our partners in Haiti are clamoring for intervention to end the suffering. Instead, we are working to shape its trajectory. As a result of our letter, we already have arranged multiple meetings with leaders in Congress and the administration in the coming weeks.

Quixote Center has prioritized addressing root causes, including and especially the illegal trafficking of weapons from the United States to Haiti. Last year we sent a petition with more than 3000 signatures to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking them to take specific administrative measures to stem the flow of weapons to Haiti's gangs. We followed up with an organization letter to DHS and Department of State, with 95 organizations signing on, urging a specific set of administrative actions to curb the flow of weapons into Haiti. Last week we received this response from DHS. We are in the process of following up with DHS to discuss improvements. We are also working with partners for the passage of the ARMAS Act, and you can help by taking action below.

In the midst of Haiti's multiple crises, the administration declared an end to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, as of February 3, 2026. Most Haitians with TPS arrived here in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, which killed an estimated 300,000 people and decimated Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. The country has yet to recover, and Haiti is obviously not a country they can return to safely. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus have filed a discharge petition in Congress, which would force a House vote to protect TPS for Haitians. HR 965 will need 218 signatures and we invite you to call your Representative to ask them to sign on. You can call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be forwarded to the correct office.

Haitian faith leaders are gathering in Springfield, OH, on Monday February 2 to rally and meet to discuss options for Haitians with TPS status. Most with TPS came to the US because they already had family and friends here. The loss of TPS is a devastating blow to the entire Haitian-American community. Quixote Center board member Claudette David is a lead organizer for the event, and ED Kim Lamberty plans to attend (weather permitting).

Thanks to each of you for supporting the people of Haiti through our work. We could not do it without you.

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Take Action Now: Ask your Members of Congress to Co-Sponsor the ARMAS Act

Gun trafficking from the United States is fueling deadly violence across Latin America and the Caribbean, with devastating consequences in countries like Haiti and Mexico. The ARMAS Act of 2025 would restore oversight, strengthen transparency, and hold U.S. arms exporters accountable, helping prevent weapons from falling into the hands of criminal gangs.

Urge your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the ARMAS Act and take a critical step toward reducing violence and protecting lives across the region.