H.R. 2643

119 HR 2643 EH: Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
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 I
 119th CONGRESS  1st Session
 H. R. 2643
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To require the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti and impose sanctions on political and economic elites involved in such criminal activities.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2025  .
2.
Reporting requirements
(a)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti. The report shall—
(1)
identify and list prominent criminal gangs in Haiti as well as the leaders thereof, and describe their criminal activities including coercive recruitment, and identify their primary geographic areas of operations;
(2)
list Haitian political and economic elites who have direct links to criminal gangs and any organizations or entities controlled by these elites;
(3)
describe in detail the relationship between the individuals listed pursuant to paragraph (2) and the criminal gangs identified pursuant to paragraph (1);
(4)
describe in detail how Haitian political and economic elites use their relationships with criminal gangs to advance their political and economic interests and agenda;
(5)
include a list of each criminal organization assessed to be trafficking Haitians and other individuals to the United States border;
(6)
include an assessment of ties between political and economic elites, criminal gangs in Haiti, and transnational criminal organizations;
(7)
include an assessment of how the nature and extent of collusion between political and economic elites and criminal gangs threatens the Haitian people and United States national interests and activities in the country; and
(8)
include an assessment of potential actions that the Government of the United States could take to address the findings made pursuant to paragraph (6).
(b)
Form of report
The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
3.
Sanctions
(a)
In general
Not later than 90 days after the submission of the report to the appropriate committees, the President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to each foreign person identified pursuant to sections 2(a)(1) and 2(a)(2).
(b)
Sanctions described
The sanctions described in this subsection are the following:
(1)
Property blocking
Notwithstanding the requirements of section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 ), the President may exercise of all powers granted to the President by that Act to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property of the foreign person if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.
(2)
Visas, admission, or parole
(A)
In general
An alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, is described in subsection (a) is—
(i)
inadmissible to the United States;
(ii)
ineligible for a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and
(iii)
otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. ).
(B)
Current visas revoked
(i)
In general
The issuing consular officer, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1201(i) ), revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to an alien described in subsection (a) regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is issued.
(ii)
Effect of revocation
A revocation under clause (i) shall take effect immediately and shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.
(c)
Exceptions
(1)
Exception to comply with international obligations
Sanctions under this section shall not apply with respect to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations.
(2)
Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian assistance
Sanctions under this section may not be imposed with respect to transactions or the facilitation of transactions for—
(A)
the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices to Haiti;
(B)
the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Haiti;
(C)
financial transactions relating to humanitarian assistance or for humanitarian purposes in Haiti; or
(D)
transporting goods or services that are necessary to carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance or humanitarian purposes in Haiti.
(d)
Implementation; penalties
(1)
Implementation
The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this subtitle.
(2)
Penalties
The penalties provided for in of section 206(b) and (c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1705 ) shall apply to a person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out this section to the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act.
(e)
Waiver
The President may waive the application of sanctions or restrictions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is important to the national interests of the United States.
(f)
Exception relating to importation of goods
(1)
In general
The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions authorized under this section shall not include the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.
(2)
Good defined
In this subsection, the term  good  means any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.
4.
Definitions
In this Act:
(1)
Appropriate congressional committees
The term  appropriate congressional committees  means—
(A)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives;
(B)
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(C)
the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives;
(D)
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate;
(E)
the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence;
(F)
the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence;
(G)
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(H)
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(1)
Foreign person
The term  foreign person  means an individual or entity that is not a United States person.
(2)
United States person
The term  United States person  means—
(A)
a United States citizen;
(B)
a permanent resident alien of the United States; or
(C)
an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.
(3)
Economic elites
The term  economic elites  means board members, officers, and executives of groups, committees, corporations, or other entities that exert substantial influence or control over Haiti’s economy, infrastructure, or particular industries.
(4)
Political elites
The term  political elites  means current and former government officials and their high-level staff, political party leaders, and political committee leaders.
5.
Sunset
The authorities provided by this Act shall cease to have effect on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
      Passed the House of Representatives September 2, 2025.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.