U.S. State Department designates Haitian criminal groups as terrorist entities

U.S. State Department designates Haitian criminal groups as terrorist entities

Rewritten Article:

The Trump administration has branded a coalition of Haitian gangs responsible for the country's rampant violence as terrorist organizations, according to a White House official speaking with NBC News. The Viv Ansanm coalition and the Gran Grif gang will now be labeled as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specifically Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) by the State Department.

Initially reported by the Miami Herald, the designation, which also applies to the Gran Grif gang by the Treasury Department, comes after the gang claimed responsibility for a massacre of at least 115 people in Pont-Sonde, a rural town, in October.

Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio authorized similar designations for several Mexican cartels and gangs, such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. This designation means that individuals found to be providing "material support" to these groups could face sanctions and penalties, with Rubio warning that engaging with these groups carries risks related to counterterrorism sanctions.

The terrorist designation for Tren de Aragua and MS-13 has been used as one factor in deporting individuals in the U.S. to a Salvadorian prison. This move is particularly significant as thousands of Haitians living in the U.S. under protected status programs were told to leave the country months before their status expired.

According to a fact sheet by the State Department, Gran Grif is the largest gang in Haiti's rural Artibonite region and is responsible for 80% of the deaths in that area. The department also states that Viv Ansanm, a coalition of gangs concentrated mainly in Port-au-Prince, coordinated attacks that have destabilized critical infrastructure, including prisons, government buildings, and the main airport.

Rubio told the Miami Herald that the designation is part of America's responsibility to address the widespread violence and political upheaval in Haiti. However, Democratic representatives Gregory Meeks of New York and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida have expressed their concerns about the designation, stating that it, absent a clear, comprehensive U.S. strategy to defeat the gangs, is counterproductive and will only exacerbate Haitians' suffering.

This designation has significant implications. Firstly, it criminalizes any interaction with these groups, potentially complicating negotiations for hostage releases or humanitarian access. Secondly, it could escalate deportations and target individuals of Haitian descent fleeing for their lives. Lastly, the designation may deepen famine risks due to restrictions on aid delivery, as gangs control 85% of Port-au-Prince, making it necessary for aid groups to engage with them for safe passage.

The U.S. frames gang violence as a direct threat to national security, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that these groups aim to establish a "gang-controlled state" and target international personnel. The designation aligns with recent additions of eight Latin American criminal groups (e.g., MS-13, Sinaloa Cartel factions) as FTOs, signaling a broader strategy to combat transnational organized crime through counterterrorism tools. Additionally, this move could enable mass deportations of Haitian gang members by classifying them as "invading" entities under the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act.

This pressured legal and financial squeeze on gangs risks collateral damage to Haiti’s civilian population and relief efforts, with over 1 million people displaced due to the conflict and health facilities closing as a result of the instability. Moreover, the deportation of gang members could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and deepen famine risks. Consequently, the international community must address the root causes of gang violence, prioritizing diplomacy and aid efforts to support Haiti’s recovery.

1. The Trump administration's designation of a coalition of Haitian gangs, including the Viv Ansanm coalition and the Gran Grif gang, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specifically Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) by the State Department is not exclusive to the Gran Grif gang, as it has also been labeled as such by the Treasury Department.
2. Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, has not only authorized the terrorist designation for the Gran Grif gang and Tren de Aragua, but also for several Mexican cartels and gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua earlier this year.
3. The terrorist designation of gangs like the Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm has significant implications, including the potential criminalization of any interaction with these groups, which could complicate negotiations for hostage releases or humanitarian access.
4. The designation of Haitian gangs as terrorist organizations may escalate deportations and potentially target individuals of Haitian descent who are fleeing for their lives, deepening famine risks due to restrictions on aid delivery as gangs control 85% of Port-au-Prince, making it necessary for aid groups to engage with them for safe passage.

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