Bill Overview
Title: Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of State to provide an annual report to Congress on ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti. Among other things, the report must (1) identify prominent criminal gangs in Haiti, (2) list Haitian political and economic elites that have links to criminal gangs, (3) assess how collusion between Haitian political and economic elites and criminal gangs threatens the Haitian people and U.S. national interests, and (4) assess what actions the governments of the United States and Haiti could take to address those threats. The bill also requires the State Department to identify certain individuals listed in the report who may be subject to visa- and property-blocking sanctions under specified U.S. laws.
Sponsors: Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]
Target Audience
Population: People in Haiti and affiliated parties
Estimated Size: 50000
- The bill primarily affects the people of Haiti who are subject to the influence and violence of criminal gangs that have connections with political and economic elites.
- Political and economic elites in Haiti named in the report will be directly impacted if they are involved with criminal gangs.
- The U.S. government and its agencies will be involved in collecting and reporting this information, impacting diplomatic and strategic operations regarding U.S. national interests.
- Sanctions and visa restrictions might directly impact certain individuals identified in the report, including both Haitian and potentially U.S. individuals involved in criminal collusion.
Reasoning
- The policy's direct impact on U.S. residents is limited to a specific group of people, primarily those with close ties to Haiti, either through personal connections or professional dealings.
- The Haitian diaspora in the U.S. might feel a social impact due to the policy's revelations about crime and politics in their home country, potentially affecting their perceived wellbeing due to stress or hope for positive change.
- Individuals or businesses in the U.S. dealing with entities in Haiti could face disruptions if their business relations are named in these reports, potentially affecting their economic wellbeing.
- The budget allocation for this policy mainly goes towards research and diplomatic activities, with a potential impact on regulating economic activities involving Haiti, rather than providing direct financial aid to individuals or communities.
- We focused on voices from different sectors potentially impacted: government, businesses linked to Haiti, Haitian diaspora, and unaffected individuals to give a balanced view.
Simulated Interviews
Import-export business owner (Florida)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned about my business relationships being affected if partners are listed in sanctions.
- On the other hand, the policy might help reduce crime, which would be beneficial for doing business safely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
NGO worker focusing on Haitian community (New York)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might reveal necessary truths that could lead to change.
- It could stress our community if bad actors are exposed, but the long-term benefits are worth it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Government worker (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill increases our workload significantly as we must comply with its requirements.
- It's a necessary measure to aid Haiti's stability, which aligns with our diplomatic interests.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Tech startup founder (California)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this policy affects me at all, but I feel it's a step forward for international justice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
University researcher (Boston)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy provides rich data for my research, possibly unraveling important ties that affect global diplomacy.
- I may face pressure if research incidents reveal especially damning facts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired military officer (Texas)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen firsthand what security measures can do to improve situations like these, so I support the policy.
- Concerns about whether corruption here intersects with issues over there.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Graduate student (Chicago)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems quite important to international politics and my area of study.
- It could reflect on U.S.-Haiti relations in ways beneficial to my research.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Small business owner (New Jersey)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about sanctions or other political actions hindering my business operations if my partners are affected.
- In the long run, this clarity might help stabilize my supply chain.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Journalist (Georgia)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The report will provide invaluable content and possibly open up new investigative leads.
- Risks surrounding the accused might influence our safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Activist (Illinois)
Age: 35 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Delighted to know there is focus on reducing corruption in Haiti.
- This might be a model policy for transparency in other regions too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2500000 (Low: $1800000, High: $3500000)
Year 2: $2600000 (Low: $1900000, High: $3600000)
Year 3: $2700000 (Low: $2000000, High: $3700000)
Year 5: $2900000 (Low: $2200000, High: $3900000)
Year 10: $3400000 (Low: $2500000, High: $4400000)
Year 100: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Key Considerations
- The transparency and disclosure of criminal and political ties might lead to diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Haiti.
- The resource allocation for intelligence gathering and analysis would need to be maintained over time.
- Potential backlash from affected elites in Haiti could complicate U.S.-Haiti diplomatic relations.