Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 12 février 2026

US extends Haiti HOPE and HELP trade programs through 2026

Retroactive extension restores preferential apparel access to the U.S., supporting tens of thousands of Haitian jobs

by The Haitian Times Feb. 06, 2026

Overview:

Congress has retroactively extended the Haiti HOPE and HELP trade preference programs through Dec. 31, 2026, restoring duty-free access for Haitian apparel exports to the United States and providing critical support to the country’s textile sector.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Congress has retroactively extended the Haiti HOPE and HELP trade preference programs, securing duty-free access for Haitian apparel exports through Dec. 31, 2026.

The programs, originally set to expire on Sept. 30, 2025, are vital to Haiti’s textile and apparel sector, which accounted for over 90% of the country’s export earnings as of 2020, according to the U.S. State Department. The retroactive extension also ensures that duties paid since the programs lapsed will be refunded to importers.

Bipartisan Legislation

H.R. 6504: HELP Extension Act

Passed House Jan 12, 2026 • Referred to Senate Finance

Extension Date Dec 31, 2028

Value Threshold 60%

Retroactive Clause: Covers entries made after Sept 30, 2025. Refunds must be requested within 180 days of enactment.

View Eligible Apparel Categories

Read Full Bill Text

The HOPE (Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement) and HELP (Haiti Economic Lift Program) Acts, enacted in 2006 and 2010, grant Haitian manufacturers preferential access to the U.S. apparel market, helping stabilize the sector and positioning Haiti as a co-production partner for American firms. According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), the programs have been “instrumental to the development of Haiti’s apparel sector” and have supported both U.S. and Haitian textile industries.

The extension comes as part of a broader $1.2 trillion appropriations bill, alongside a similar retroactive renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides duty-free access for eligible sub-Saharan African countries through Dec. 31, 2026. Duties paid during the lapse of AGOA will also be refunded.

Haiti’s apparel industry has long operated under fragile conditions. A 10% tariff announced on Caribbean imports, imposed in April 2025 by the Trump administration, threatened to destabilize one of the country’s few functioning economic sectors. Garment exports to the U.S. generated $844 million in 2023, making Haiti highly dependent on American demand, while imports of refined petroleum, rice, and cotton fabrics highlighted the country’s trade imbalance and deep reliance on U.S. markets. Without HOPE and HELP, experts warned, the apparel sector and the tens of thousands of jobs it supports could collapse.

Industry groups welcomed the retroactive extension but emphasized the need for proactive, long-term renewal. “While the retroactive passage supports the industry on time lost,” the AAFA said in a  statement, “ proactive and long-term renewal is what is needed for predictability, investment, and economic viability to support the U.S. jobs anchored by these programs.”

Now restored, the extension provides a limited window for meaningful reform before the programs’ next expiration in December 2026. Policymakers and trade associations underscore that securing a longer-term solution will be essential to maintain investment and ensure continued stability in Haiti’s apparel sector.

Haiti’s transitional council hands power to US-backed prime minister

Move comes after council tried to oust PM Fils-Aime and the US recently deployed warship to waters near Haiti’s capital.

Al Jazeera Staff

Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council has handed power to US-backed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime after almost two years of tumultuous governance marked by rampant gang violence that has left thousands dead.

The transfer of power between the nine-member transitional council and 54-year-old businessman Fils-Aime took place on Saturday under tight security, given Haiti’s unstable political climate.

“Mr Prime Minister, in this historic moment, I know that you are gauging the depth of the responsibility you are taking on for the country,” council President Laurent Saint-Cyr told Fils-Aime, who is now the country’s only politician with executive power.

In late January, several members of the council said they were seeking to remove Fils-Aime, leading the United States to announce visa revocations for four unidentified council members and a cabinet minister.

Days before the council was dissolved, the US deployed a warship and two US coastguard boats to waters near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, where gangs control 90 percent of the territory.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed “the importance” of Fils-Aime’s continued tenure “to combat terrorist gangs and stabilise the island”.

The council’s plan to oust Fils-Aime for reasons not made public appeared to fall to the wayside as it stepped down in an official ceremony on Saturday.

Fils-Aime now faces the daunting task of organising the first general elections in a decade.

Election this year unlikely

The Transitional Presidential Council was established in 2024 as the country’s top executive body, a response to a political crisis stretching back to the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

It quickly devolved into infighting, questions over its membership, and allegations of corruption falling overwhelmingly short of its mission to quell gang violence and improve life for Haitians.

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Just six months after being formed, the body removed Prime Minister Garry Conille, selecting Fils-Aime as his replacement.

Despite being tasked with developing a framework for federal elections, the council ended up postponing a planned series of votes that would have selected a new president by February.

Tentative dates were announced for August and December, but many believe it is unlikely an election and a run-off will be held this year.

Last year, gangs killed nearly 6,000 people in Haiti, according to the United Nations. About 1.4 million people, or 10 percent of the population, have been displaced by the violence.

The UN approved an international security force to help police restore security, but more than two years later, fewer than 1,000 of the intended troops – mostly Kenyan police – have been deployed. The UN says it aims to have 5,500 troops in the country by the middle of the year, or by November at the latest.

Warships boost US presence in Haiti ahead of key political deadline

Feb. 7 marks the end of the mandate for Haiti's nine-member Transitional Presidential Council.

Several U.S. warships deployed by the Trump administration arrived at the Bay of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, increasing global attention on Haiti during a volatile moment for its government.

According to U.S. Southern Command, the deployment of USS Stockdale, USCGC Stone, and USCGC Diligence comes under the direction of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as part of "Operation Southern Spear," a U.S. military campaign aimed at targeting alleged drug traffickers across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

The operation has already resulted in more than 100 deaths from boat strikes, with officials saying the goal is to curb organized crime and strengthen security in the region.

The government in Haiti is collapsing

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti described the arrival of the warships as reflecting America's "unwavering commitment to the security, stability, and a brighter future for the Republic of Haiti." While part of ongoing crime-fighting efforts, the move has also been interpreted as a strong message of support and a show of force amid escalating political tensions.

This week's developments come ahead of a critical deadline: February 7, which marks the end of the mandate for Haiti's nine-member Transitional Presidential Council. Tensions have risen steadily, especially since the council was recently hit with U.S. visa restrictions after voting to remove the current prime minister, defying calls from the U.S. government to maintain stability. 

Accusations by the U.S. against senior Haitian officials for allegedly supporting gangs have added to the country's instability. The U.S. Embassy on Wednesday publicly backed the current prime minister, saying it supports his "Prime Minister Fils-Aimè's leadership in building a strong, prosperous, and free Haiti.

New York shields Haitian TPS holders with legal, legislative and emotional help

State and city leaders roll out legal monitoring, new resources, and proposed legislation to support Haitians living under Temporary Protected Status

by Loretta Chin and  The Haitian Times Feb. 05, 2026

Overview:

As uncertainty continues over the future of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, New York State and City officials, joined by community leaders, are moving to protect affected residents from deportation through expanded legal support, legislative action and public resources. City officials are reaffirming sanctuary protections and access to health and emergency services regardless of immigration status, while connecting Haitian TPS holders with legal counsel and know-your-rights information.

BROOKLYN — In response to a community so stressed by the uncertainty surrounding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians  where  at least two people fearing immigration enforcement have died by suicide, New York state and city officials, in conjunction with community groups, are moving on multiple fronts to ensure affected residents have access to legal, health and emotional support. 

From City Hall to Albany to Washington, leaders said at a news conference on Wednesday and through press statements that they are determined to protect Haitian TPS holders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — while pursuing legal and legislative paths to make the immigrants’ status permanent.

“You are not alone,” said NYC Councilmember Farah Louis, echoing a key message heard during the press conference.“Do not self-deport and do not have fear.”

Louis, who relayed news of the suicides, and other leaders held the news conference two days after a federal judge stopped the termination of the Haiti TPS program that has allowed about 350,000 Haitians to live and work legally in the U.S., while litigation is pending. Though the judge’s decision provides sole relief, many new questions have been raised and people continue to fear ICE. 

Inside Life of Hope’s offices in East Flatbush Wednesday, the speakers brought with them an array of brochures and fliers with the names and contact information for various city- and state-sponsored programs. They urged families to seek help from organizations, for everything from filing documents to grant guardianship if parents and their children were to be separated and protecting financial assets such as their business bank accounts in case of deportation.

Nadine, a Haitian TPS holder who was listening to the speakers, shared that she was wondering if her status is sufficient to work. The Haitian Times is withholding Nadine’s last name to avoid adversely affecting her immigration case. 

“I need to go to work and I don’t know what to do,” she said. She learned about the resources available to her during the 2-hour event.

City pushes immigrant help hotline, other resources 

In New York City, officials are emphasizing that sanctuary city laws remain in effect, even amid heightened federal immigration enforcement activity. Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), said Haitian TPS holders and other immigrants can continue to access essential services without fear. 

“People have access to services regardless of immigration status,” Castro said in an interview with The Haitian Times after the event. “They should continue to access health services, our local hospital system, call 911, and use any other city services without fear of deportation.

“We’re reaching out to lawyers so people know what to do if they’re confronted by an ICE agent,” Castro added. “They have a lot of rights, and people need individualized guidance, not rumors or bad advice.”

Castro acknowledged, however, that sanctuary laws do not prevent Immigration and ICE from operating in the city. As reports of increased ICE presence circulate, MOIA has focused on education and preparedness, connecting residents with attorneys and know-your-rights information.

To reach immigrants who may not be connected to advocacy groups or elected officials, the city has expanded partnerships with nonprofits such as HAUP and Life of Hope and public institutions, including the New York City Public Library. English and language classes offered at more than 60 library branches also serve as points of information sharing. 

Citywide, residents can call 311 to access immigration-related guidance and referrals.

In all, the show of support emphasizes Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s message to Haitians on Monday that he stands with the community.

The borough presidents of Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens sent a joint letter this week urging Albany to pass the New York For All Act and the Access to Representation Act, which would limit cooperation with ICE and guarantee legal representation for immigrants facing deportation. 

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso called for congressional action during his remarks on Wednesday. “Should the conditions of the country where you are coming from not improve, we should have a path to legal citizenship for those on TPS,” he said. 

State officials launch ICE observation unit

At the state level, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the launch of the Legal Observation Project, a new initiative designed to monitor and document federal immigration enforcement activity across New York. The initiative will deploy trained legal observers to locations where enforcement actions or related protests are reported, serving as neutral witnesses and preserving information that could inform future legal action.

James is also urging New Yorkers to submit videos or documentation of immigration enforcement activity through a secure online portal, adding another layer of oversight and support for impacted communities.

Meanwhile, pressure is building in Albany to pass legislation that would further limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and guarantee legal representation for immigrants facing deportation with the New York For All Act and the Access to Representation Act.

Seeking permanence and stability in DC

At the federal level, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer pointed to a recent court decision blocking the Trump administration’s effort to end TPS for Haitians as only a temporary reprieve. He reiterated his support for the SECURE Act, which would allow long-term TPS holders to apply for permanent legal status.

“Haiti is still dangerous and unstable,” Schumer said in a statement to The Haitian Times. “We must do more to oppose this administration while they continue to target and attack our neighbors. Until Haitians can return home safely and the gangs’ reign of terror subsides, I will keep fighting to allow them to remain here out of harm’s way.”

For city and state officials, the message is consistent: while courts and Congress debate the future of TPS, New York is stepping up with resources, legal protections, and public support to help Haitian families weather the uncertainty—and to make clear they are not facing it alone.

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 8 février 2026

Jacmel kicks off Carnival 2026, reaffirming its role as Haiti’s cultural vanguard | PHOTOS

As national carnival plans remain uncertain amid divided opinions, the southeastern city launches festivities early with music, dance and visual spectacle

by Danise Davide Lejustal Jan. 20, 2026

THE HAITIAN TIMES

JACMEL — While uncertainty continues to surround the organization of Haiti’s national carnival, Jacmel—a southeastern city known for its cultural and artistic vibrancy and tourist attractions—moved decisively to claim the cultural spotlight.

On Sunday, Jan. 18, Jacmel became one of the first cities in the country to officially launch the 2026 carnival season, drawing thousands of residents and visitors into the streets for a day of music, dance and visual spectacle under the theme “Jacmel in Our Dreams.”

The launch followed a Jan. 8 announcement by the Ministry of Culture and Communication (MCC) designating Jan. 18 as the start of the national carnival season. While many Haitians have debated whether the crisis-stricken country should celebrate Carnival, in Jacmel, however, the festivities took on added symbolic weight, reinforcing the city’s long-standing reputation as Haiti’s artistic and cultural capital.

Local and judicial authorities, representatives of the Haitian National Police, departmental officials, civil society leaders and well-known carnival organizing figures attended the opening ceremony, signaling broad institutional support for the event.

Baranquilla Avenue served as the epicenter of the celebration, transformed into a vast public stage. Dance groups and marching bands, alongside rope-throwing troupes, paraded through the corridor, including Paj d’Art, Explosion, Grand Soleil, Asotò, Fresh Style, Show Biz and Dolphins.

DJ-led music sets kept the crowds moving well into the afternoon, as revelers danced, filmed performances, and filled sidewalks and balconies. The festivities continued until about 5 p.m., with a festive yet orderly atmosphere.

Jacmel was among the first cities to officially launch Haiti’s 2026 carnival season, as thousands filled the streets on Sunday, Jan. 18, to watch cultural performances and dance to music spun by DJs, particularly along Baranquilla Avenue. Video by Danise Davide Lejustal for The Haitian Times.

Jacmel’s early start stands in contrast to the national debate surrounding Carnival 2026, particularly concerns over security, logistics and funding in Port-au-Prince. While authorities have yet to disclose details about the national carnival’s host city or budget, Jacmel has already laid out a clear cultural calendar.

City officials say celebrations will continue every weekend through Feb. 17, culminating in the traditional carnival days, offering residents and visitors a sustained series of artistic encounters.

“The 2026 Carnival will be an artistic journey,” Mayor Louise César said, “where masks, costumes, music and choreography bring to life the Jacmel of our dreams.”

The following images capture moments from Jacmel’s Carnival 2026 launch — scenes of movement, color and collective joy — as the city once again turns imagination into public celebration.

Haitians Are Vital to U.S. Health Care. Many Are About to Lose Their Right to Work.

Haitians are a vital source of employees for health care providers in many communities. The Trump administration is removing legal status next month for 330,000 of them.

Jan. 29, 2026, 5:00 a.m. ET

By Miriam Jordan

Miriam Jordan is a national immigration correspondent.

Vilbrun Dorsainvil was a physician in his native Haiti, but after fleeing his troubled country he couldn’t practice when he arrived in the United States. Determined to stay in medicine, he retrained as a registered nurse and now works in the cardiac unit of the only hospital in Springfield, Ohio, a city grappling with a shortage of health care workers.

He monitors patients after procedures, administers medication and comforts families during difficult moments. “Being in health care was my dream,” said Mr. Dorsainvil, 35, who came to the United States five years ago. “It hurt a little not to practice as a physician, but I was blessed that I could stay in health care.”

That blessing has an expiration date. On Feb. 3, Mr. Dorsainvil and more than 330,000 other Haitians in the United States could lose their right to work here, potentially destabilizing the health care industry in places like Springfield, where a large influx of Haitian immigrants has settled in recent years and helped fill critical health care roles.

Mr. Dorsainvil lives in the United States under a legal designation called Temporary Protected Status, which can be provided by the U.S. government to people from countries experiencing armed conflict or natural disasters. The protection allows those already in the United States to remain for a specific period of time, and it can be renewed if the U.S. government considers conditions in the country unsafe for people to return.

Haitians have been eligible for T.P.S. since an earthquake devastated the country in 2010, and the protection has been renewed because of other crises. But the Trump administration announced last year that it was terminating the status for several countries, including Afghanistan, Venezuela and Haiti.

By seeking to end T.P.S. for Haitians and many other foreign nationals, the Department of Homeland Security is vastly expanding the number of people who could be expelled from the country as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. Officials have argued that T.P.S. was intended to offer only temporary relief but has become an indefinite benefit for tens of thousands of people.

Mr. Dorsainvil is one of several health care workers named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to preserve the protected status for Haitians.

Rulings are expected in a matter of days in two lawsuits, including Mr. Dorsainvil’s, contesting the termination of T.P.S. for Haitians. Yet, even a favorable decision may offer little relief; the Trump administration is expected to appeal immediately, prolonging the uncertainty for both Haitian workers and their employers.

At least 50,000 migrants with protected status work in health care, an industry struggling to fill positions in small cities and rural areas as an aging America requires more long-term care. The industry also continues to recover from the strains created by the coronavirus pandemic, when nursing homes and senior residential facilities shed more than 400,000 employees.

A Haitian family sought help obtaining passports and documents at the St. Vincent de Paul center in Springfield. Many Haitians will have to leave the country if their Temporary Protect Status expires. Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times

People from Haiti are a particularly familiar presence in hospitals, clinics and nursing homes in states with large Haitian communities, including Florida, New York and Massachusetts. Haitians filled about 111,000 health care positions in the United States in 2023, according to an analysis of census data by the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.

“In a health care system facing so many disruptions, it’s shortsighted to make such policy changes” that further erode care, said Leah Masselink, an associate professor of health policy management at George Washington University. “These immigrants are highly qualified, and in positions that are hard to fill.”

Rachel Blumberg, who runs a senior care center in Boca Raton, Fla., said she was bracing for the loss of 30 Haitian employees with Temporary Protected Status who would have to be let go and could be immediately deported.

“These are individuals who have been with us five, six, seven, 10 years,” said Ms. Blumberg, chief executive of Toby & Leon Cooperman Mount Sinai Residences. “They do work that many Americans won’t do.”

“I can’t replace the relationship they have with our residents,” she added.

Asked about the health care industry’s fears of worker shortages, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, dismissed the concerns. Vice President JD Vance and Stephen Miller, the architect of the administration’s immigration policy, have said that foreign workers displace Americans and undercut their wages, which has been contested by economists whose research shows that in many industries, immigrants fill labor gaps.

In Springfield, a city of about 58,000 between Dayton and Columbus, the stakes are high.

Over the last several years, more than 10,000 Haitians have settled there, drawn by jobs in warehouses, auto-parts factories and the health care sector. They work at the hospital and the community clinic and as caregivers for seniors in a county that has been consistently rated as underserved by the federal government. 

“These folks are filling jobs that are some of the hardest for us to keep staffed,” said Chris Cook, the health commissioner for Clark County, which includes Springfield.

Mr. Dorsainvil entered the United States with a tourist visa in early 2021 and settled in Springfield. When the Biden administration granted Temporary Protected Status to Haitians in May of that year, the status allowed him to enroll in a local college to pursue a nursing degree. While studying, he worked weekend shifts at an Amazon warehouse and part time as a nursing assistant at the Springfield Regional Medical Center.

Since earning his degree last year, he has worked 13-hour shifts at the hospital, where he cares for up to 50 patients a week. Last year, he bought a duplex that he shares with his brother and two cousins, all from Haiti.

Thomas Hupman, who was born and raised in Springfield, helped train Mr. Dorsainvil and said it would be a “tremendous loss” for the hospital if he had to go. “Vilbrun has knowledge and compassion, and no task is beneath him,” said Mr. Hupman, 31, who is also a registered nurse. “He is there for the patients.”

Successive administrations have granted protected status to Haitians since the 2010 earthquake, which was estimated to have killed some 300,000 people. More recently, tens of thousands fled the Caribbean nation after the 2021 assassination of the last elected president. The ensuing crisis has fueled widespread gang violence, forced residents from their homes and led to hunger.

Mr. Dorsainvil said he never planned to stay in the United States forever. He has a daughter back home who was born shortly after he fled and is now 5. “Leaving Haiti was the hardest decision,” he said. “I told myself it’s not going to be for long.”

He said he was followed by armed men and repeatedly threatened because of his family’s political opposition and his own vocal criticism of mismanagement within Haiti’s health care system. In a written declaration filed as part of his lawsuit over T.P.S., he said that several of his brothers had gone into hiding or fled Haiti after being attacked and imprisoned.

“If my country is safe enough,” he said, “with a president in office doing the right thing, I will go back.”

Miriam Jordan reports from a grass roots perspective on immigrants and their impact on the demographics, society and economy of the United States.

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Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 21 janvier 2026

What we’re paying attention to in 2026: NYC’s Haitian politicos, deportations, Haiti’s elections and more

From power dynamics in New York to expiring immigration protections and digital disruptions, here’s what’s on The Haitian Times’ radar this year

by Vania André,  Simon Feisthauer Fournet,  Macollvie J. Neel and  Fritznel D. Octave Jan.

THE HAITIAN TIMES 05, 2026

As the new year begins, The Haitian Times shares what’s top of mind in 2026 — across the U.S., Haiti and the diaspora.

A new year always brings a mix of urgency and reflection— and 2026 is no exception. At The Haitian Times, we’ve taken stock of what feels most pressing across our communities, from local politics in New York to political upheaval in Haiti and the global shifts in between. 

Here’s what’s top of mind for us this year.

The fate of TPS and what happens after Feb. 3

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians is currently set to expire on Feb. 3. The looming deadline has created uncertainty for thousands who have lived, worked and raised families in the U.S. for decades. Whether the administration enforces deportations or offers an extension could set the tone for immigration policy during this election year — and shape the lives of countless Haitian households.

Springfield, Ohio — what one community’s response might signal

In Springfield, the city thrust into the national spotlight over false claims about its Haitian population, the end of TPS may have immediate consequences. How employers, churches and Haitian community leaders there respond may provide an early glimpse of how other towns across the country navigate life after legal protections are shut down.

In New York, a new mayor — and familiar questions

With Zohran Mamdani now mayor of New York City, the local political landscape has shifted toward more progressivism under the Democratic Socialist. Six known Haitian Americans were named to his transition team — a level of representation rarely seen, at least publicly. Whether that visibility turns into real influence remains to be determined, particularly on issues like affordable housing, small business support, nonprofit sustainability and immigration protections that directly impact Haitian New Yorkers.

At the same time, political power structures within enclaves like Brooklyn, Queens — and Long Island, albeit outside the city’s borders — continue to evolve. Longtime civic leaders, church networks and neighborhood organizers who are traditional Democrats still play central roles. How these grassroots institutions engage with — or push against — City Hall’s progressive will be worth watching.

Trump’s Corollary

Donald Trump’s presidency carries broad implications for the Western Hemisphere as he moves to “reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence” in the region. Such an aggressive posture toward Latin America and the Caribbean, under the banner of “commercial diplomacy” and allegedly halting drug trafficking, could bring new tariffs, migration quotas and military pressure across the region. 

“This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live — and we’re not going to allow the Western Hemisphere to be a base of operation for adversaries, competitors, and rivals of the United States,” Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, said after the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Already in the new year, Trump removed Maduro in an overnight raid of Caracas and announced that oil companies will run the country, triggering calls of condemnation from other countries and world bodies. Such actions could further destabilize Haiti if long-present income inequality tensions and gang violence were to escalate, particularly among economic elites who may seek deals to protect their interests.

Security and elections in Haiti?

Talk of elections continues, with the first round scheduled for Aug. 30, but deep skepticism remains. Conditions on the ground, the role or fate of the transitional council—whose mandate is set to expire on Feb. 7— the deployment of international security forces and the availability of funding will determine whether any vote is feasible or legitimate. For now, the Haitian public appears cautious, waiting for signs that this time will be different.

Rising health care costs for working families

Federal policy changes are driving up the cost of health care for many. The rollback of premium subsidies has hit families relying on ACA and Medicare Advantage plans especially hard, including many in the Haitian American community. Between housing costs and inflation, this added financial strain is already being felt.

Climate vulnerability — and the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa

Climate change remains a constant undercurrent, particularly for Haitians in areas vulnerable to flooding, hurricanes and extreme heat. Last year’s Hurricane Melissa showed again how quickly disaster can strike and how unprepared much of the region remains. Climate will continue to impact infrastructure, agriculture, migration and public health.

Digital opportunity — and digital exploitation

The digital economy is transforming Haitian life in real time. Content creation, AI tools and remote work platforms are creating new income streams for some. But they’re also enabling the spread of misinformation, exploitation of cultural identity and widening inequalities. 

Haitian American political identity heading into midterms

With midterm elections later this year, Haitian American voters are reassessing their political identities. Long loyal to the Democratic Party, many  began expressing frustration during the 2024 elections at the lack of tangible gains and loss of immigration protections. Now, many also question whether Haitian American elected officials can wield real influence, particularly with scandals associated with the most high-profile among them erupting.

In states like New York and Florida, where Haitian communities have built deep electoral power, these questions feel especially urgent. The role of church-based organizing, local advocacy, and shifting generational priorities may reshape how Haitian voters engage in 2026, and with whom.

High-profile criminal, civil and immigration cases

Several high-profile criminal, civil and immigration cases involving Haitians are also shaping public attention this year. In Florida, media personality Carel Pedrewas placed in ICE custody after a misdemeanor domestic violence arrest, triggering a #FreeCarel campaign as details of his immigration case remain undisclosed.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus‑McCormick, the first Haitian American woman elected to Congress, faces federal charges alleging fraud, money laundering and campaign finance violations tied to pandemic relief funds — allegations she denies.

In Colorado, more than 1,000 Haitian workers have filed a class action lawsuitagainst meatpacking giant JBS, alleging deceptive recruitment via TikTok, discriminatory treatment, unsafe working conditions and exploitative housing at the company’s Greeley plant — with TPS expiration threatening to derail their claims.

Legal scrutiny has also reached the cultural sphere and oligarchy. Haitian music veteran Fabrice Rouzier has sued Joé Dwèt Filé and collaborators over copyright claims tied to the global hit 4 Kampé, while business figures Reginald Boulos and Dimitri Vorbe were detained in the U.S. amid immigration fraud allegations and accusations of backing armed groups in Haiti. 

Together, these cases reflect heightened legal exposure across Haitian public life.

The World Cup

And finally, but not least, a global celebration. With the 2026 FIFA World Cuphosted in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Haitians in the diaspora are already preparing to gather, cheer and celebrate Les Grenadiers against Scotland, Brazil and Morocco this summer. Whether at watch parties, the stadium stands or their living rooms, the matches are a welcome moment of joy and connection in a heavy year—regardless of sporting results in the end.

US will not process visas from 75 countries including Caribbean region

Take note that the United States has just announced it will halt processing of all immigrant visas from 75 countries until such time as  “The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the statement continued. “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused.”

This new measure comes after the complete or partial ban on visas for tourism, business, etc to nationals of 39 countries, most of which find themselves on the new list.

Among the countries from which immigrants will be barred are the following from the Caribbean region:

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Cuba

Dominica

Grenada

Haiti

Jamaica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Caribbean countries that have not been barred:

Dominican Republic

Guyana

Trinidad and Tobago.

The Forgotten Occupation’ opens in Los Angeles, explores Haiti’s US occupation

Documentary by Haitian filmmaker Alain Martin and executive producer Roxane Gay explores legacy of U.S. occupation in Haiti

by The Haitian Times Jan. 14, 2026

Overview:

The Forgotten Occupation, a documentary on the U.S. occupation of Haiti, will make its Los Angeles premiere with a special one-week run in Beverly Hills. The film, by Alain Martin and Roxane Gay, blends personal narrative with political history to examine a formative and often overlooked chapter in Haiti–U.S. relations.

The acclaimed documentary “The Forgotten Occupation: Jim Crow Goes to Haiti” made its Los Angeles theatrical debut on Jan. 10 at Lumiere Cinema in Beverly Hills, kicking off a one-week engagement through Jan. 16.

Directed by Haitian filmmaker Alain Martin and executive produced by bestselling author Roxane Gay, the feature documentary revisits the 1915–1934 U.S. military occupation of Haiti through a deeply personal lens. The film premiered last year and will now be introduced to West Coast audiences with a special red-carpet screening, followed by a Q&A, in partnership with Haitian Spotlight LA.

Blending intimate family memories with broader historical context, “The Forgotten Occupation” is framed as a letter from Martin to his grandfather. The narrative unravels a paradoxical legacy of a man who once welcomed American rule in a country still bearing the scars of that intervention.

“By tracing the roots of that power through an intimate family story, ‘The Forgotten Occupation’ reclaims the narrative of Haitian memory, love, and resilience, inviting Los Angeles audiences to see today’s immigration flashpoints not as abstractions, but as part of a long history of occupation, anti-Blackness, and extraordinary Haitian resilience,” Martin said in a statement.

The film’s West Coast premiere comes amid renewed national debate around immigration, as Haitian migrants and asylum seekers face increasing scrutiny in political discourse and border policy. In this context, the documentary provides a timely reflection on U.S.–Haiti relations, raising urgent questions about empire, displacement and democracy.

“Our cultural memory is, all too often, terribly short,” said Gay.  “Alain Martin’s The Forgotten Occupation is a timely, necessary reminder of the brutal American occupation of Haiti that lasted nearly twenty years and sought but failed to bring a proud, independent nation to heel.

“But this movie is so much more,” she continued, “because it is also a gorgeous and moving love letter to a family, a people, a country.”

Tickets are available via lumiereticketsa.com/theforgottenoccupation. Daily showtimes will run Jan. 10–16 at Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd.

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 9 janvier 2026

PM Holness points to free movement in final CARICOM chair address

Sheri-kae McLeod, December 28, 2025

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has pointed to regional unity during Hurricane Melissa, expanded free movement, coordinated security action and renewed focus on Haiti as defining achievements of his tenure as chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as he hands over the role at year’s end.

In his end-of-year message issued Saturday from the Caribbean Community Secretariat in Guyana, Holness said 2025 tested the region’s resilience but also reinforced the “simple truth” of Caribbean solidarity, particularly in the wake of record-breaking Hurricane Melissa, which caused widespread damage across Jamaica and other territories.

Among the most concrete integration advances, Holness highlighted the decision by Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to implement full free movement of persons among themselves from October 1, 2025. He described the move as a “concentric circles” model that allows willing states to deepen cooperation while leaving the door open for others to join when ready.

On the economic front, Holness said CARICOM successfully defended regional interests amid shifting global trade conditions through coordinated advocacy with the CARICOM Private Sector Organization and strategic partners. He also pointed to expanded regional and international airlift, strengthened trade ties, and initiatives aimed at improving food and nutrition security.

Security challenges featured prominently during Jamaica’s chairmanship, particularly with the adoption of the Montego Bay Declaration on Transnational Organised Crime and Gangs at the July Conference of Heads of Government. Holness stressed that CARICOM continues to address crime and violence through multiple mechanisms, underscoring that “security and development are inseparable.”

Internationally, he said CARICOM maintained a unified voice at major global fora, including the United Nations General Assembly, the G20 Leaders’ Summit and the CELAC–EU Summit, strengthening foreign policy coordination and crisis response. On climate change, Holness acknowledged that outcomes from COP30 in Belém fell short of what vulnerable Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States require, reaffirming the region’s commitment to the 1.5°C goal and praising the work of regional institutions such as CDEMA, CARPHA and the Caribbean Development Bank.

Holness also pointed to deepened engagement with Africa following the Second Africa–CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa, including expanded cooperation on trade, investment, culture and advocacy on reparations.

On Haiti, he said sustained regional lobbying helped keep the country on the global agenda, contributing to a UN Security Council resolution establishing a gang suppression force partly supported by UN funding. CARICOM, he noted, is now a key partner in coordinating the OAS roadmap toward stability, with preparations under way for elections in 2026.

As he handed over the chairmanship, Holness warned that the region must navigate an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment with “clarity, cohesion and strategic discipline,” emphasizing diplomacy, respect for sovereignty and peaceful engagement.

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Despite the year’s challenges, he said CARICOM remains one of the world’s most enduring integration movements, expressing confidence in the Community’s future and the Secretariat’s continued role in supporting regional stability.

In January, St. Kitts and Nevis will become chair of CARICOM.

Haitian migrants intercepted on Christmas in Quebec near U.S. border, RCMP say

Nineteen migrants of Haitian origin were arrested on Christmas in Quebec after RCMP say they illegally crossed the border from the United States on an extremely cold evening.

Mounties say it happened in the Havelock area of Montérégie in southern Quebec, approximately five kilometers from the border with the state of New York.

They say the people in the group were between the ages of one and 60, including a three-year-old.

RCMP say in an email that Integrated Border Police Team officers found an initial group of 15 people hiding in the woods on Thursday evening, after being notified by the United States Border Patrol.

Officers continued their search until around 10:30 p.m. to find the rest of the group.

Eight people were taken to hospital. According to the RCMP, six of them required treatment for frostbite.

“The two young children were also taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. According to the information available, their lives are not in danger,” the RCMP email said.

One man was also arrested by patrol officers who “had reason to believe he was near the scene to pick up several of these migrants with his car.” His vehicle was seized.

All of the people who were intercepted have applied for asylum, RCMP said. Their cases are now in the hands of the Canada Border Services Agency.

RCMP reminded people that it is extremely dangerous to attempt to cross the border illegally, especially in winter, when people are often ill-equipped to face the cold.

Haitians recruited on TikTok for meatpacking jobs sue JBS for workplace abuses

Class-action lawsuit with 1,000 plaintiffs alleges discrimination, deceptive recruitment, overcrowded housing and dangerous line speeds at a Greeley, Colorado facility

by The Haitian Times Dec. 21, 2025

Overview:

More than 1,000 Haitian workers allege in a lawsuit that JBS subjected them to discriminatory and unsafe working and living conditions after recruiting them under false promises to its Greeley, Colorado, meatpacking plant.

For more than a decade, JBS Greeley—a division of JBS USA Food Company—relied almost exclusively on refugee and immigrant workers to operate its meatpacking plant. Now, more than 1,000 Haitian workers JBS recruited allege in a new class action lawsuit filed Tuesday that the meat processing company discriminated against them and subjected them to hazardous working conditions.

“I’m a part of today’s lawsuit because I don’t want workers – my fellow Haitians or any group of workers who may come to the U.S. in the future – to suffer in the way that I have,” Nesly Pierre, a plaintiff in this suit, said in court documents.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Haitians who worked at the JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado, after Nov. 1, 2023. The suit alleges the company targeted Haitians as a vulnerable workforce and then subjected them to harsher conditions than non-Haitian workers. 

Lawyers for the Haitian plaintiffs also note that during the 2024 campaign, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance targeted Haitians in Ohio with xenophobic rhetoric.

“JBS saw Haitian workers as uniquely exploitable, then discriminated against them for the sake of its bottom line,” said Amal Bouhabib, senior staff attorney at FarmSTAND and counsel for the class in this suit. 

“The harm stemming from the choice JBS made will stay with the plaintiffs in this case forever,” he added.”

JBS has not issued any public statements about the suit as of Sunday.

The litigation is now a race against a looming immigration deadline. With TPS for Haitians set to expire in February 2026, the workers risk being deported before their claims can be fully adjudicated. While some plaintiffs have applied for asylum as a safeguard, attorneys describe the move as a “gamble” under the current administration.

The suit also harkens back to similar cases in other states, such as Ohio, of newcomer Haitians being recruited with promises of housing, only to be left in squalor.

Seeking out vulnerable immigrants 

In the lawsuit, the claimants say that JBS, one of the world’s largest animal protein producers, intentionally and strategically recruited immigrants seeking humanitarian relief to fill its workforce.

After a series of immigration raids in 2006, the company saw its workforce shrink by 10% almost overnight. To offset ongoing losses and maintain productivity, JBS—whose annual revenue tops $73 billion—began working directly with resettlement agencies and local service organizations to recruit immigrants with work authorization, the suit alleges. 

Initial recruits came from Somalia, Eritrea and the Congo, followed later by workers from Myanmar, South Sudan and the Middle East.

The recruitment strategy worked. 

Within a year of the raid, Greeley’s foreign-born population grew to more than 12 percent, a 60 percent increase from seven years earlier.

But after a series of labor and legal challenges between 2020 and 2022—including COVID-19 outbreaks, worker-led collective bargaining efforts, and a federal lawsuit over the unlawful employment of children—JBS once again found itself in need of new workers.

The company’s solution: recently arrived Haitians with humanitarian parole or Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allow them to work legally.

“They don’t pray and they don’t need to go to the bathroom,” one JBS Greeley supervisor allegedly told a team of Somali workers about Haitians in December 2023.

The new recruits also were not part of covered by existing union bargaining agreements, the suit states. 

TikTok promises led to squalid housing and dangerous shifts

According to the lawsuit, recruitment began in late 2023, after Mackenson Remy, a Haitian immigrant living in Colorado, met with JBS Greeley HR recruiter and supervisor Edmond Ebah. The pair devised a plan to use Remy’s TikTok to recruit Haitians for at least 60 openings slaughtering, butchering and packaging meat.

Using footage from inside the plant, Remy created a TikTok promising jobs with no English-language requirements and employer-provided housing while workers settled in Greeley. Haitians who had initially settled in Indiana, Ohio, Florida and other states saw the videos and decided to go west, spending thousands to make the trip.

“When I first saw a video recruiting Haitian workers to the JBS plant in Greeley, I was excited for a great opportunity,” Pierre said. “But immediately upon arrival to an overcrowded hotel room, I knew something was wrong, and that was only the beginning.”

The lawsuit alleges those promises were false and that workers incurred hefty travel expenses and paid improper recruitment fees to secure the jobs.

Although recruiters promised them that JBS would “take care” of their housing, workers described the living conditions as “squalid” and “inhospitable.” When they arrived, recruits were allegedly crammed by the dozens into the Rainbow Motel, where as many as 11 people shared a single room with only one bed and one bathroom. 

Pierre likened the conditions to a “jail cell,” saying workers were forced to sleep on the floor near the door where frigid winter air seeped in. Others reported “rancid” smells and a lack of kitchen facilities that left some unable to eat for days.

As the motel reached capacity, recruiters reportedly moved the overflow—up to 60 people—into a single 5-bedroom house that sometimes lacked electricity, heat and running water in the winter. 

Despite these conditions, the complaint alleges, the workers were charged exorbitant weekly fees, ranging from $60 for a spot on the floor of the house to $500 for a shared motel room—a situation the union has called exploitative and akin to human trafficking.

Unsafe conditions, treatment at plant detailed

At the plant, Haitian workers were allegedly subjected to more dangerous and degrading conditions than their co-workers. 

According to the lawsuit and union reports, JBS allegedly segregated newly recruited Haitian workers onto the “B Shift”—the afternoon shift from 3:00 pm to 11:30 pm—and subjected them to dangerous working conditions to maximize production. The union describes a “White Bone” program instituted by management, which demanded workers strip meat to the bone at this accelerated pace, leading to severe repetitive stress injuries. 

While industry standards suggest a maximum safe line speed of 390 head of cattle per hour, the complaint alleges managers pushed the Haitian-staffed shift to speeds as high as 440 head per hour. 

Pierre reported that the line moved so relentlessly that he could not unclench his hand from his meat hook, leaving his fingers permanently stuck in a “clawing position.”

The lawsuit further alleges that JBS systematically compromised worker safety by refusing to provide training in Creole. Despite knowing the recruits did not speak English or Spanish, the company conducted safety orientations in those languages and directed supervisors to falsify testing records to claim the workers understood them. This practice reportedly allowed JBS to rush workers onto the “kill floor” without the knowledge necessary to protect themselves from dangerous machinery and chemicals.

Beyond physical hazards, the complaint describes a discriminatory environment where basic human needs were ignored. Haitian workers claim they were routinely denied unscheduled bathroom breaks, a right afforded to other employees, forcing some to urinate on themselves or deliberately dehydrate and starve themselves to avoid needing the restroom during shifts. 

When injuries occurred, the company allegedly obstructed access to care. In one instance, when Carlos Saint Aubin, a plaintiff in the class action lawsuit, suffered severe chest pain, he was reportedly given a “hot towel” by the on-site clinic and sent back to the line. 

The union also contends that JBS coerced workers into signing waivers in English they did not understand, effectively forcing them to forfeit their rights to workers’ compensation. Further, the complaint alleges, JBS management was aware of both the exploitative recruitment practices and the housing conditions, but continued hiring Haitian workers to secure what it describes as a compliant workforce.

“JBS USA’s CEO has said that his job feels so fun, it doesn’t even feel like working,” Bouhabib said. 

“Meanwhile, his Haitian workers are suffering life-altering injuries due to the inhumane conditions at the Greeley plant,” Bouhabib added. “These workers are bravely standing up and asserting their humanity to JBS through today’s action.”

Juno Turner, litigation director at Towards Justice, said the treatment described in the lawsuit reflects broader challenges facing immigrant workers.

“No worker should experience the exploitation and abuse that our clients have endured,” Turner said in a statement. “That these workers are treated so cruelly amid the current unprecedented attack on immigrant communities just adds insult to literal injury.”