The president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, Leslie Voltaire, has raised alarms about the potential ramifications of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, asserting they will have "catastrophic" consequences for his country. In a recent interview conducted in Rome, following a meeting with Pope Francis, Voltaire expressed deep concerns over the freezing of aid programs, the deportation of migrants, and the blockage of refugees. “I’m knocking on the doors of people who love Haiti. The pope loves Haiti, and he is eager to help,” Voltaire stated, underscoring the desperate need for international support.

Voltaire painted a grim picture of the situation in Haiti, where rampant gang violence has left much of the population vulnerable. He noted that half of Haiti's roughly 11.4 million citizens are already facing hunger, and the cessation of humanitarian assistance would exacerbate this crisis. **“Trump said that Haiti is a ‘shithole,’ so I don’t think he will care about Haiti,”** Voltaire added, highlighting the stark reality of the issue at hand.

With many Haitians being forcibly returned from the Dominican Republic—approximately 200,000 in the last year—Voltaire warned that the impact of new U.S. policies could overwhelm Haiti’s already strained resources. According to a report from the UN migration agency, internal displacements within Haiti have surged to over 1 million people, largely due to escalating gang violence, which has nearly doubled the displacement rate in Port-au-Prince.

Amid ongoing challenges, Voltaire remains hopeful about the possibility of organizing general elections by November. Despite control exerted by gangs over about 85% of the capital, he believes that with added international support in the form of a multinational police force, elections could be feasible this year. As of now, Kenya is spearheading this multinational effort, but current troop deployments are far below the pledged numbers.

Voltaire is also advocating for an “international conference of solidarity” to gather support for Haiti's predicament, an initiative he discussed with Pope Francis. The pontiff showed willingness to assist in organizing such a conference, which could engage neighboring nations like Mexico and Canada.

The urgency of Haiti’s situation cannot be overlooked, especially with 5,600 homicides recorded last year alone, representing a more than 20% increase from the previous year. The continuing cycle of violence and the political instability following the assassination of former president Jovenel Moïse has led to gang elements that even aspire to participate in political dialogues. However, Voltaire firmly stated, “I don’t think they should be around the table. I think they are criminals.”

The reality facing Haiti is a humanitarian crisis that demands global attention and action, especially as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warns that Port-au-Prince could become a zone wholly dominated by gangs without significant international intervention.

For further reading, please see the original articles from AP News, VOA News, and Los Angeles Times.