For Immediate Release
Date:
March 4, 2025
SCHUMER SAYS CUTTING US FOREIGN AID TO HAITI
IS A SHORTSIGHTED MISTAKE
–
AND CALLS TO RESTORE FUNDING ASAP;
NEARLY
ALL
USAID FUNDING FOR HAITI HAS BEEN CUT OR IS
‘ON HOLD
’ AFTER TRUMP ADMIN ABRUPTLY
TERMINATED FOREIGN AID; SCHUMER URGES
ADMIN TO REVERSE COURSE IMMEDIATELY AND
RELEASE FUNDS FOR FOOD AID, SECURITY
ASSISTANCE, DISEASE PREVENTION & TREATMENT,
HEALTH PROGRAMS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND
MUCH MOR
E
Terminated And F
rozen Funds Jeopardize Health & Safety Of Haitians
And US Foreign Policy Interests; Haiti Still Recovering From Devastating
Earthquake and Suffers From Political Instability And Ongoing Gang
Violence; $317
Million In Aid Was Disbursed To Haiti Just Last Ye
ar,
Now
Nearly All
Funds For Food, Health & Emergency Response
Programs Have Been Either ‘Frozen’ Or Terminated
Schumer Warned That If Lifesaving And Critical Aid Remains Halted In
Haiti & Across The World, There Will Be Very Negative Consequences
For Am
erican Relationships and Power In The Region; Leaving The Field
Open for Adversaries and Competitors Like China, Venezuela & Cuba To
Exploit
Schumer: Cutting And Freezing Foreign Aid For Haiti Is A Shortsighted
Mistake That Hurts The People Of Haiti and
US Interests; The Trump
Admin Should Reverse Course Immediately & Resume Critical Programs
For Food Security, Health Initiatives, Including HIV/AIDS
Prevention/Treatment And Maternal/Child Health & More
Today U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said the Trump a
dministration’s sudden freezing, and now terminating, of
nearly
all
U.S. foreign aid,
including
for Haiti, is “a shortsighted mistake that hurts the people of Haiti,
the
America
-
Haiti relationship,
and American interests in the region.” He urged the Trump
administration to
unfreeze and reinstate
USAID and foreign assistance for
Haiti,
which supports health
initiatives, emergency
response, food aid and security and more
—
ASAP.
Schumer noted that
, “Haiti is still recovering from the lingering after
-
effects
of a monumental earthquake and
ongoing political instability, including increasing gang
-
related violence, and that a reduction in US aid would
only strengthen the hands of the forces of disorder in Haiti. The more we do to stabilize things in Haiti, the
lo
wer the pressure for those there to leave and seek refuge elsewhere. U.S. humanitarian and economic support
to the Haitian people and security assistance to combat the gang violence is key to forging a safer and more
prosperous democratic Haiti.
”
Just la
st year, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the government agency
responsible for administering foreign aid and development assistance, disbursed $317.6 million in aid to Haiti
for emergency response, health initiatives
—
includi
ng HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and preventing
maternal and child deaths
—
agriculture, as well as food aid and security. Now,
nearly
all foreign aid for Haiti is
frozen or has been terminated after the Trump administration abruptly shut down USAID and
all of its
programs.
Schumer said USAID’s closure will have a significant impact on the people of Haiti,
as well as
American foreign policy interests,
and he outlined many ways in which USAID provides assistance to the
country.
“The US
-
Haiti relation
ship is critically important, and the Haitian community in the US
–
and especially in New
York from Brooklyn to Queens to Long Island to Rockland and beyond
–
is a valued and vibrant
community.
The United States, via USAID, has supported the people of Hait
i for many years, providing vital
assistance and strengthening the country’s food security, health programs, and emergency response. In times of
crisis, the agency has continued its unwavering support through humanitarian assistance, emergency relief
effor
ts and meeting the immediate needs of Haitians,”
said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer
. “Despite the
lifesaving work of USAID, the Trump administration has
taken
drastic and damaging
steps to
shutter
the agency
and halted the organization’s critical humanitari
an, economic, health, and security efforts. This is a mistake. I
urge the administration to reverse course immediately and release foreign aid for Haiti ASAP.
The bottom line
is that the aid we provide to Haiti is a win
-
win that helps both the people there
and America’s best interests.
”
Prior to the Trump administration’s dismantling of the agency, USAID programs in Haiti focused on
food security, emergency response, health, and humanitarian assistance to bolster Haiti’s
infrastructure,
food and
economic security, and health services
.
USAID disbursed $317.6 million in aid to Haiti in 2024,
including
:
$141.6 million for Emergency Response
$39.26 million for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment
$19.2 million for Agriculture
$16.46
million for Maternal and Child Health
$12.45 million for Food Aid/Food Security Assistance
$11.98 million for Basic Health Services
Schumer explained that USAID and its partners have distributed millions in U.S. foreign aid to
communities in Haiti, an
d that the investment has paid off in terms of enhancing America’s relationship
with a regional partner with shared national security interests
. For example, the World Food Program
(WFP) received over $13 million from USAID in 2024 to fight food insecurity
in Haiti. WFP has worked to
improve school meals for children in Haiti, supported local farmers and the economy, invested in disaster
preparedness and local agriculture training, and screened children for malnutrition. Other partner organizations
like Int
ernational Organization for Migration (IOM) received $7.9 million to provide critical WASH (water,
sanitation, and hygiene) programs, shelter, health services, and mental health support for communities affected
by gang violence and the cholera outbreak.
Schumer further warned that, “The vacuum left by the United States drawing back on delivering much
-
needed and productive foreign aid to nations like Haiti would be quickly filled by adversaries like China,
Venezuela and Russia,
something that only weakens
America’s relationships and power in the world.
”
Additionally, a USAID
-
funded 5
-
year project, known as
Ayiti Pi Djanm
,
was reach
ing nearly 90,000 participants
and more than 17,000 households across 12 communes in the Sud and Nord
-
Est departments of Haiti, with the
goal of improving food security and resilience through enhanced sustainable management of natural resources,
improved c
onsumption and utilization of safe and nutritious foods, and by boosting profitability of household
livelihoods. In 2024, this project received over $11 million in funding to carry out its purpose. IMA World Health,
another USAID partner organization, rece
ived $7.3 million to support Haiti by investing in health services,
supporting the Ministry of Health in the delivery of quality health services, and strengthening the health system.
IMA supports the Haiti Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program (HNTDCP
) to eliminate and control
lymphatic filariasis (LF) and soil
-
transmitted helminthiasis (STH). Both these diseases are caused by parasitic
worms and can cause swelling, disfigurement, or mental and physical impairments. With foreign aid frozen and
programs
being terminated, Schumer warned that projects like these are stalled indefinitely. One USAID
implementer, whose funding has been cut off and projects terminated, estimates that 65,285 people will not
receive enough food to keep them from going hungry; an
d 1,320 youth will not be able to launch their small
businesses, increasing their risk for migration and gang recruitment
.
Schumer highlighted USAID programs in Haiti that originally received a waiver to continue their life
-
saving work but have now been
terminated:
A humanitarian response program providing emergency food and nutrition assistance to areas
receiving the largest number of displaced people fleeing violence ($3 million program
)
An emergency
rapid response program, meant to respond to new crises and sudden displacement
through food assistance, shelter, and WASH ($6 million program
)
A program focused on food security, nutrition and livelihoods ($50 million for 5 years)
A grant that ensured acc
ess to lifesaving services, including medical care and counseling, for victims
of gender
-
based violenc
e
Separately,
the U.S. previously pledged at least $370 million in Security Assistance for Haiti to support the
Multinational Security Support mission (
MSS)
. In 2023, former Secretary Blinken announced that the State
Department and Department of Defense would each provide $100 million towards the MSS. In 2024, Blinken
said DoD would double their contribution to $200 million. In 2024, President Biden used
the Presidential
Drawdown Authority to transfer $70 million in defense articles to Haiti. Now,
the Trump administration has
frozen nearly all security as
sistance
, including funding for the U.N.
-
backed mission in Haiti tasked with fighting
gangs.
"The consequences of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s chaotic and illegal freeze of foreign assistance amidst an
ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti cannot be over
stated. This administration’s despicable actions have caused
countless Haitians to go hungry, allowed contagious diseases to spread unimpeded throughout the country, and
given gangs free rein over the capital city of Port
-
au
-
Prince. In little more than a m
onth, the Trump
Administration has not only exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis, but also caused irreparable harm to
Haitian stability and U.S. national security. Truly, their cruelty stands without equal,"
said Congresswoman
Yvette D. Clarke,
Haitian American Caucus, CBC Chair
.
“The proposed cuts to USAID funding will have devastating consequences for Haiti, a nation already facing
immense economic and humanitarian challenges. Reducing critical aid
means fewer resources for healthcare,
food security, and disaster relief
—
putting countless lives at risk. I stand with the Haitian community and urge
policymakers to reconsider these harmful cuts and invest in a future where Haiti can thrive. I also want t
o thank
Senator Schumer for his leadership in working to protect this vital funding and standing with the Haitian people
during this critical time,”
said
Assembly Member Michaelle Solages
.
"I join U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and my collea
gues across the city, state and federal
government in condemning the Presidential Administration's reckless and damaging decision to cut nearly 90%
of USAID funds and gut critical aid for Haiti. Haiti is in the grip of a severe humanitarian and human right
s
crisis, with gangs that effectively control the country exploiting children and subjecting Haitian citizens to
extreme violence and massacres, while severe food insecurity and lack of healthcare are rampant. The USAID
under the prior Presidential Adminis
tration in 2024 disbursed critical funds to programs that provided a literal
lifeline to Haitians, and we must do everything in our power to restore this life
-
saving assistance against hunger
and disease and other humanitarian work before Haiti's crises es
calate further.
The U.S. has the largest
population of Haitian migrants in the world, and this is a cruel decision that will not only harm Haiti, but
millions in our homeland, while causing global instability and reverberating damage,"
said Assembly Membe
r
Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
.
“For nearly 50 years, USAID has worked to improve the economy and stability in Haiti. The work of the
agency has improved the nation’s health, education and governance. We are at a critical time in the Haiti’s
history, where
USAID’s work is needed more than ever to help stabilize the county and region,”
said Assembly
Member Clyde Vanel
.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk's reckless cuts to USAID will hurt struggling families in Haiti. We should be
working in partnership with count
ries like Haiti to help them build up and strengthen their public health
infrastructure, not recklessly cutting off millions in aid. This is one of many actions, including ending TPS for
Haitians in the US, that will further destabilize Haiti and cause unn
ecessary suffering,”
said Assembly
Member Phara Souffrant Forrest
.
“As a proud daughter of Haiti and a representative of a large Haitian community in the New York City Council,
I am deeply troubled by the devastating ramifications of USAID cuts on Haiti.
These cuts will exacerbate an
already dire humanitarian crisis, limiting access to critical food assistance, healthcare, and economic support for
millions in need. At a time when Haiti is grappling with political instability, gang violence, and food insec
urity,
reducing aid is not just irresponsible, it is a moral failure. The United States has long been a partner in Haiti’s
progress, and now is the time to strengthen that commitment, not abandon it. I urge Trump administration to
reconsider these cuts and
ensure that the Haitian people receive the support they desperately need,”
said
Council Member Rita Joseph
.
"As we all are aware, Haiti is facing unprecedented challenges, and it is crucial that we continue to prioritize
vital funding for emergency resp
onse, health care, and food security. I am deeply concerned about the effect the
proposed cuts to USAID will have on my birthplace. We cannot allow these reductions to set back the progress
we've made. I urge Congress to protect these essential programs an
d ensure that the people of Haiti receive the
support they need to rebuild and thrive,"
said Council Member Mercedes Narcisse
.
"My colleagues and I at the National Haitian American Elected Official Network (NHAEON) worked
relentlessly with Leader Schume
r, the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies to secure
USAID funding for the crisis in Haiti. Now, the Trump Administration's decision to slash this critical support
will leave millions without essential services, shutting down health
clinics and halting food aid at a time when
it's desperately needed. I am disgusted by President Trump’s decision, which reveals a lack of human decency
and moral responsibility toward the very people who have helped build this country. These cuts will on
ly
deepen the already dire challenges facing Haiti. As a Haitian American and representative of one of the largest
Haitian communities in the U.S., I am deeply concerned about the harm this will cause. I will continue to speak
out and fight for the aid Hai
ti needs to recover and rebuild,"
said
Council Member Farah Louis
.
“The Trump administration has never concealed its disdain and disregard for the people of Haiti, and the
destruction of USAID is their latest act of institutional cruelty targeting a nati
on that continues to weather crises
on multiple fronts. Not only is this decision a humanitarian catastrophe that will decimate fragile disaster
recovery, nutrition assistance, and public health efforts, it threatens to undermine American national security
by
further destabilizing a republic that is just 700 miles from the southernmost point of Florida.
As we continue the
fight to preserve vital safety nets such as Medicaid and Medicare for Americans, we must remain vocal and
vigilant on humanitarian issues
such as the cancellation of TPS for Haiti and the shuttering of USAID. I stand
with Senate Minority Leader Schumer as he fights for safer conditions in Haiti, respect for the Haitian diaspora,
and a reversal to these devastating and disgraceful cuts,”
sai
d Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages
.
“The callous actions of this administration regarding USAID will cost untold numbers of lives and make
Americans here at home less safe. Abandoning Haiti as it continues to fight back against the gangs
–
who hav
e
armed themselves with weapons coming from the United States
–
is an abdication of duty that will only further
destabilize conditions on the ground and further exacerbate the risk that those dangers spread to the United
States. This administration may thi
nk lightly of this funding because they see it simply as a line item in a budget
rather than the vital assistance that may make the difference in the lives of children and families most in need in
Haiti and across the world. Funding from USAID did not go t
o waste
–
it saved lives. We will continue to work
with Sen. Schumer and our community leaders to do everything in our power to restore this invaluable funding
and protect the communities being pushed further towards the margins,”
said Pastor Samuel Nicola
s, Haitian
Evangelical Clergy Association
.
“We urge the Administration to restore the USAID package to Haiti. Removing these funds will have
devastating and catastrophic impacts on Haitian society. US AID funds major programs in in the areas of
Education
, Agriculture and Health. The progress made over the years in reducing the number of HIV AIDS
infections and mortality and on gender
-
based and sexual violence in the country are a direct outcomes of the
support provided by USAID,”
said Marie Lily Cerat, Ph
D, Director CUNY Haitian Studies Institute,
Brooklyn College, Assistant Professor, Modern Languages & Literatures Dept
.
“Haiti's dependency on foreign aid, unfortunately, is structural and for the bulk of that aid to be briskly stopped
is a tragedy.
I d
o agree that such a dependency is an anomaly and must be addressed but that won't happen
overnight. One can only hope that an exemption is being envisaged,”
said Ricot Dupuy, Station Director of
Radio Soleil
.
"Cutting off lifesaving aid, including aid fo
r healthcare, food and other essentials, will further devastate and
destabilize Haiti. NYSNA joins our elected officials, Haitian Americans and all concerned New Yorkers in
calling on the Trump administration to immediately release aid to our neighbor and
ally,"
said NYSNA
President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN
.
“Haiti needs solidarity, investment, and a genuine commitment to a sustainable future. We call on the American
government to immediately reverse these dangerous cuts and
prioritize policies that save lives, promote
stability, and uphold our shared values of dignity and human rights. The callous cuts from this administration to
vital, life
-
saving aid to Haiti will inevitably result in the needless loss of countless lives. A
t a time when Haiti is
grappling with extreme violence, political instability, and humanitarian crises, reducing aid is not just
shortsighted
—
it is inhumane. These cuts will exacerbate suffering,
and increase security risks across the
region,”
said Porez L
uxama, Executive Director and Co
-
Founder, Life of Hope
.
"Haiti
is
one
of
the
Countries
that
receives
funding
from
the
United
States
through
USAID,
and
there
is
an
urgent
need
for
sustainable
support
and
policies
that
uplift,
rather
than
abandon,
the
Hait
ian
people.
The
ripple
effects
of
funding
cuts
to
USAID
will
exacerbate
the
humanitarian
crisis
in
Haiti
and
strain
the
resources
of
Haitians
living
abroad.
In
2024
alone,
USAID
obligated
$368
million
in
contracts
and
grants
for
activities
in
Haiti,
includ
ing
HIV
reduction
services.
This
decision
jeopardizes
critical
health
programs
and,
for
the
Haitian
diaspora
in
the
United
States,
who
collectively
sent
approximately
$3.1
billion
to
their
home
country,
this
move
intensifies
the
burden
as
they
strive
to
su
pport
their
loved
ones
amid
escalating
crises,"
said
Stephanie Delia,
Executive Director of Little Haiti BK Inc
.
##
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