Lawmakers Introduce Bill Seeking Plan To Address Crisis in Haiti As UN Warns Country Is 'Closer To The Brink'

Two lawmakers have introduced a bill to force the Trump administration to present a clear plan to address the crisis plaguing Haiti, as the country teeters on the brink of collapse while armed gangs continue gaining territory.

Concretely, Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Democratic ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the "Strategy to Address Key Priorities Affecting Security and Empowerment in Haiti Act of 2025.'' "The level of human suffering in Haiti is completely unacceptable, and we need a comprehensive strategy to address it," Meeks said.

The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Greg Murphy, a North Carolina Republican. "Today's legislation represents a bipartisan commitment in the House of Representatives to adopt a comprehensive strategy that will support the Haitian people during the ongoing dire humanitarian and security crisis," added the Republican, who worked as a medical missionary in the country.

The bill would require Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit a comprehensive strategy to counter gang violence in the country within 90 days of its enactment, and update Congress on progress no later than 120 days after. The State Department would need to consult with Haitian and international partners to do so, and present annual reports for five years.

The bill was introduced practically at the same time as the United Nations warned that gangs have now "near-total control" of the country's capital, Port-au-Prince.

Ghada Fathy Waly, executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, told the body's Security Council that about 90% of the capital is now under gang control. He added that areas that had so far escaped violence, like southern Haiti, are now seeing sharp increases in violence.

And in the east, criminal groups are exploiting land routes, including key crossings like Belladere and Malpasse, where attacks against police and customs officials have been reported," the official added.

UN Assistance Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca added that the "ongoing gang encirclement of Porg-au-Prince is "pushing the situation closer to the brink." ""Without increased action by the international community, the total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario," he added.