This bill requires the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that are involved in or have direct ties to prominent criminal gangs in Haiti.
Specifically, the Department of State must periodically report to Congress on the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti. The report must list (1) prominent criminal gangs in Haiti and the leaders thereof, and (2) Haitian political and economic elites who have direct links to criminal gangs and any organizations or entities controlled by these individuals. The President must impose sanctions on listed individuals and entities.
Under the bill, the term economic elites means board members, officers, and executives of groups, corporations, or other entities that exert substantial influence or control over Haiti’s economy, infrastructure, or particular industries. Political elites means current and former government officials and their high-level staff and political party or committee leaders.
The bill also applies civil and criminal penalties to persons that violate, attempt to violate, conspire to violate, or cause a violation of the regulations promulgated to carry out such sanctions.
