The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed in June 2025 that 21.9 million people in the Americas are victims of forced displacement due to crises, internal conflicts, and violence.

Venezuela, Colombia, and Haiti are the main sources of displaced persons in the Americas, with 8.1 million, 7.4 million, and 1.4 million displaced persons, respectively.

This figure of 21.9 million includes 1.2 million refugees in other countries, 4.7 million asylum seekers, 9.5 million internally displaced persons, and others in similar situations.

Luiz Fernando Godinho, UNHCR Regional Spokesperson, announced that the total number of refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees, stateless persons, and other persons of concern to UNHCR in the Americas had reached 21.9 million by the end of 2024. This figure represents 17.6% of the global total of 123.2 million.

The situation in Haiti is particularly alarming. Armed gangs control more than 85% of the capital and other provincial cities, plunging the country into chaos. Nearly half of the Haitian population is in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 5 million people are suffering from acute food insecurity.

Gang violence has spread from Port-au-Prince to other parts of the country, leading to a significant increase in the number of displaced people. This number has more than quadrupled, from 313,900 at the end of 2023 to over 1.4 million (June 2025).

Luiz Fernando Godinho expressed UNHCR's deep concern about the deteriorating security, human rights, and humanitarian situation in Haiti. He reiterated UNHCR's call for States to refrain from forcibly returning anyone, even if their asylum claim has been rejected.

S/ HaitiLibre