Haiti is on the verge of collapse. Biden must give the island the attention it deserves | Opinion

At this month’s Summit of the Americas, nations rallied together in pursuit of a stronger, safer Western Hemisphere. But one neighbor — Haiti — is on the verge of total collapse. Unless the Biden administration acts soon, the nice words and declarations of the summit will be eclipsed by a humanitarian disaster less than a thousand miles from Florida’s shores.

Haiti has struggled with political, economic and environmental challenges for a long time. But recent events threw the island into crisis. In 2020, the pandemic put national institutions under immense strain. Last year, in July, mercenaries assassinated Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, sowing political chaos. And the very next month, a massive earthquake killed more than 2,000 people and brought thousands of buildings to the ground.

Things have only gotten worse since then. Haiti’s national economy is the smallest in the region and will grow by only 0.3% this fiscal year, but it faces 25% inflation. Mortality rates remain extraordinarily high, for both babies and adults. Meanwhile, out-of-control gang violence destroys communities, forces businesses to close and scares off foreign investment. And on top of all that, Haiti’s interim government hangs by a thread, with no official election in sight.

To say this is a recipe for disaster is putting it mildly. When the Haitian military seized power from the government in 1991, tens of thousands of Haitians fled to the United States. And the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 Haitians displaced 1.5 million more, many of who, again, fled to America for refuge. This time, the island has been doubly weakened by both political turmoil and a natural disaster. Our country is already overwhelmed by illegal border crossings; another collapse in Haiti, followed by waves of migration, would be a real issue.

President Biden and his administration have not given the situation the attention it deserves. USAID’s recently announced funding package looks good on the surface, but none of that money will make a dent unless larger problems are addressed. If Biden wants what’s best for the United States — and Haiti — he can no longer afford to stay on the sidelines. Rather, he must get on the field and start playing ball.

That means following the advice that U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia, and I gave the administration to strengthen Haiti’s National Police in the fight against criminal gangs. It means being open to a renewed U.N. peacekeeping mission. It means expanding the Inter-American Development Bank’s investment in Haitian infrastructure. And it means building closer economic ties between our country and Haiti, as my Haitian Economic Lift Program Extension Act would do by guaranteeing jobs and trade benefits for Haiti’s textile industry.

All the while, the president must signal that the United States is not open for illegal immigration. Encouraging another exodus from Haiti would not help the island, which needs all the talent and resources it can get, nor would it help American citizens. Instead, Biden should encourage political stability and credible elections that will clear the path to governability and prosperity for Haitians within their own country.

The next few months will be difficult for Haiti — but they do not have to be disastrous for the entire region. Haiti’s fate is primarily in its own people’s hands. The United States, however, should do what it can to help the island achieve greater security, stability and prosperity. Haitians and Americans alike would reap great benefits.

Sen. Marco Rubio is Florida’s senior U.S. senator.

This story was originally published June 17, 2022 at 4:19 PM.