Trump administration takes hard line on Haitian violence, labels gangs foreign terrorist organizations

The Trump administration connected Friday officially designated 2 of Haiti’s astir almighty pack networks, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, overseas violent organizations (FTOs) and specially designated planetary terrorists (SDGTs).

The determination is aimed astatine disrupting the gangs' operations and supporting efforts to reconstruct bid successful the troubled Caribbean nation.

The announcement was made successful a ceremonial connection from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared that "the property of impunity for those supporting unit successful Haiti is over."

"These gangs person killed and proceed attacking the radical of Haiti, Haitian information forces and multinational information enactment (MSS) ngo unit and are committed to overthrowing the authorities of Haiti," Rubio said. "Their eventual extremity is creating a gang-controlled authorities wherever illicit trafficking and different transgression activities run freely and terrorize Haitian citizens."

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Former constabulary officer-turned-gang person Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier walks past reporters successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 11, 2024.  (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)

The designations bring superior ineligible consequences. Individuals oregon entities that supply worldly enactment to Viv Ansanm oregon Gran Grif could look transgression charges, loss of migration benefits oregon removal from the U.S.

Viv Ansanm formed successful September 2023 done an confederation betwixt Haiti’s 2 main pack factions, G-9 and G-Pép. The conjugation has carried retired coordinated attacks connected Haitian infrastructure, including prisons, authorities buildings and the Port-au-Prince planetary airport. These attacks were portion of a broader run that helped unit the resignation of erstwhile Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

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A antheral carrying his belongings observes burned vehicles aft pack unit successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dec. 9, 2024.  (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)

Gran Grif operates chiefly successful the Artibonite region, a captious cultivation area. The State Department said the pack has been liable for 80% of civilian decease reports successful that country since 2022. In February 2025, Gran Grif was linked to an onslaught that killed a Kenyan serviceman with the MSS mission.

According to NPR reporting from 2024, Viv Ansanm was spearheaded by Jimmy Chérizier, known arsenic Barbecue, a erstwhile constabulary serviceman turned pack leader. 

Chérizier helped unify rival gangs nether a shared extremity of opposing the Haitian government. In an interrogation with NPR, helium defended the gang’s actions and blamed Haiti’s governmental elite for fostering the lawlessness. Though helium acknowledged the violence, helium claimed the authorities had enabled the conditions starring to it.

A pistillate carries her belongings arsenic she flees equipped pack unit successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dec. 9, 2024.  (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)

"These designations play a captious relation successful our combat against these vicious groups and are an effectual mode to curtail enactment for their violent activities," Rubio said. He besides warned that U.S. citizens and lawful residents who prosecute successful transactions with these groups are exposing themselves to sanctions and prosecution.

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Rubio praised the Haitian National Police and planetary partners for their efforts successful pushing backmost against the gangs. "We commend the bonzer bravery of the Haitian National Police and each planetary partners supporting the MSS ngo for their ongoing efforts to found stableness and information successful Haiti," helium said.

He called connected Haitian governmental leaders to absorption connected restoring peace. 

"We impulse each of Haiti’s governmental leaders to prioritize the information of the Haitian people, find solutions to halt the unit and marque advancement toward the restoration of ideology done escaped and just elections," Rubio said.

The State Department did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.