June 6, 2025

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San Diego, CA — The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) expresses deep concern over the proposed 5% remittance tax  included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), which has passed in the House of Representatives, currently pending Senate approval. This measure threatens to undermine the economic stability of Haiti and other Global South nations that rely heavily on remittances from their diaspora communities.

“This is not sound policy — it is legalized extortion targeting Black, Brown, and immigrant families who have already sacrificed so much to sustain both their adopted countries and their nations of origin,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance. “The Haitian diaspora sends billions in remittances not because they are wealthy, but because they are the last safety net for their loved ones in places where international institutions have failed, and where Western interventions have too often caused more harm than help.”

Remittances are a critical component of Haiti’s economy, accounting for nearly 20% of its GDP. In 2023 alone, Haitians abroad sent approximately $3.8 billion back home, providing essential support for healthcare, education, and daily living expenses. But this issue is not unique to Haiti. Across the Global South, remittances are a cornerstone of stability:

El Salvador: remittances comprise approximately 26% of GDP 
Honduras: nearly 28% of GDP 
The Philippines: nearly $40 billion in remittances in 2023
Nigeria: over $20 billion in remittances annually for more than two decades

In 2023, remittance flows to low and middle-income countries reached $656 billion, surpassing foreign direct investment (FDI) and official development assistance (ODA). Implementing a remittance tax could have far-reaching consequences such as reduced remittance flow, increased informal transfers, and domestic economic impact.

For members of the diaspora — especially Black and Brown immigrants — this tax adds yet another economic burden to already overtaxed and underpaid communities. The overwhelming majority of remittance senders are not wealthy elites but working-class immigrants who hold multiple jobs, pay U.S. taxes, contribute to Social Security, and still carry the responsibility of supporting loved ones back home.

“We refuse to let working-class Black and Brown immigrant communities be turned into cash cows for short-sighted political gamesmanship,” Jozef declared. “This is yet another chapter in a long history of extraction from the Global South — this time from the pockets of our own families.”

The Haitian Bridge Alliance urges the Senate to reject the remittance tax provision in the OBBB. We call on policymakers to recognize the vital role of remittances in supporting global economic stability and to avoid measures that would disproportionately harm immigrant communities and their families abroad.

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ABOUT HAITIAN BRIDGE ALLIANCE

Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), also known as “The Bridge”, is a grassroots community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies, foreign policy, and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA also seeks to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and builds solidarity and collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”).
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