The California-based Haitian Bridge Alliance is honoring Haiti’s revolutionary legacy as the world’s first free Black republic while intensifying calls for reparations from France, the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians living in the United States, and greater international support for the Haitian people amid the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Marking Haitian Flag Day and commemorating Haiti’s 1804 independence following the only successful slave revolt in modern history, HBA Executive Director Guerline Jozef said Haiti continues to stand as a global symbol of Black liberation, resistance, and self-determination. She argued that the international community must move beyond symbolic recognition and address the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Haitians both at home and abroad.
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Jozef pointed to the severe humanitarian challenges confronting Haiti, where United Nations agencies estimate that nearly 1.4 million people have been displaced by violence and instability, while millions more face food insecurity and limited access to healthcare, education, and essential services. She noted that an estimated 2.6 million Haitian children currently require humanitarian assistance.
At the same time, she highlighted the major economic contributions made by Haitians living in the United States, particularly TPS holders. According to HBA, Haitian TPS recipients contribute approximately US$5.9 billion annually to the U.S. economy and pay an estimated US$1.5 billion in federal, state, and local taxes each year. Roughly 200,000 Haitian TPS holders are employed across critical sectors including healthcare, caregiving, agriculture, transportation, and hospitality.
Jozef also underscored the importance of remittances sent by the Haitian diaspora, noting that approximately US$4.5 billion flowed into Haiti in 2024, providing essential support for countless families and accounting for a significant portion of the country’s economy.
In addition to immigration protections, HBA renewed demands for reparative justice from France over the so-called “independence debt” imposed on Haiti after independence, a financial burden historians and advocates say crippled the country’s development for generations.
“Haitian Flag Day is a reminder that Haiti changed the course of world history through its fight for Black freedom,” Jozef said, while stressing that Haitians continue to endure the consequences of historic exploitation, political instability, anti-Black immigration policies, and family separation.
Jozef said HBA has continued advocating in Congress and the courts for Haitian immigrants and other marginalized communities. She noted that the U.S. House of Representatives recently approved legislation, led by Ayanna Pressley, seeking a three-year extension of TPS protections for Haitian nationals, while advocacy efforts continue in the Senate.
HBA is also calling for an end to deportations to Haiti and for international engagement centered on Haitian-led solutions aimed at restoring long-term stability, security, and prosperity for the Haitian people.
