International News: New report finds Haiti remains unsafe for returns

By Zoila Palma:  Haiti remains unsafe for the return of Haitian nationals amid worsening insecurity and a deepening humanitarian crisis, according to an updated assessment by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI).

The report comes as the United States moves to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 330,000 Haitians.

USCRI’s assessment builds on its 2024 report and includes interviews with five experts, three of whom are based in Haiti, conducted through July 2026.

The report says armed gangs now control an estimated 80 to 90 percent of Port-au-Prince and have expanded into areas previously considered safer.

More than one million people are internally displaced, while at least 16,000 people have reportedly been killed since 2022.

USCRI links the deterioration of state authority to years of political instability, including the postponement of elections, rule by decree under former President Jovenel Moïse and his assassination in 2021, which created a power vacuum that armed groups moved to exploit.

Haiti is also facing severe humanitarian challenges, with an estimated 6.4 million people in need of urgent assistance.

According to the report, 5.83 million people faced acute food insecurity between March and June 2026, including 1.2 million children under five.

 The country’s healthcare system has also been severely affected, with only about 10 percent of inpatient medical facilities reportedly still operating. The report highlights outbreaks of diphtheria and a scabies-like skin disease in displacement camps where access to clean water and sanitation remains limited.

The assessment further points to a sharp increase in sexual and gender-based violence.

The United Nations recorded a 163 percent increase in verified cases of sexual violence in 2025, while UNICEF reported a 1,000 percent increase in sexual violence against minors since 2023.

USCRI notes that the figures likely understate the true scale of the problem because of widespread underreporting. Data from an MSF clinic in Port-au-Prince also recorded nearly 17,000 survivors treated between 2015 and 2025.

USCRI warns that deportations and returns could expose Haitians to significant protection risks, particularly those arriving without homes, resources or safe routes from the airport through gang-controlled areas.

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