Colorado’s congressional delegation has a duty to represent our commitment to human rights in U.S. Congress and reject any legislation that compromises our fundamental values. Consequently, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet must reconsider his position on the Americas Act.

On March 6, four prominent members of Congress, including our own Sen. Bennet, introduced the multi-billion-dollar Americas Act with great fanfare to “unite” the western hemisphere “through trade, investment and a commitment to free enterprise.” Their joint statement made a special reference to benefiting the Dominican Republic through grants, loans and other economic favors. 

While the Dominican Republic may seem like an ideal candidate to benefit from this act, however, the litany of human rights abuses engendered by the Abinader government demonstrate its inclusion as a beneficiary of this legislation would compromise our moral authority in the western hemisphere and on the world stage. The United States stands as a beacon of hope for the rest of the world and when the United States fails to uphold its values on human rights in its trade policies, some of our allies see it as a green light to continue their campaign of state-sanctioned human rights abuses.

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Just last month, the State Department issued a harsh country report on human rights in the Dominican Republic, finding authorities are subjecting Haitian refugees and persons of Haitian descent to “degrading treatment,” including arbitrary detentions and physical abuse of detainees, warrant-less home invasions, revocation or destruction of identity documents, theft of personal property, extortion, sexual violence, inadequate access to food, water and health care in detention facilities, unlawful deportation of children, of pregnant or lactating mothers, and of the elderly. Haitian refugees are being rounded up by authorities all over the DR along with anyone dark-skinned who are perceived to be Haitian.

Persons of Haitian descent who were born in the DR after 1929 and lived all their lives as Dominicans are being stripped of their citizenship as a pretext for expulsion as stateless individuals. It is an appalling offense and a grave violation of international law. In November 2022, the U.S. Embassy Office in Santo Domingo issued a travel advisory urging Americans of African descent to take precautionary measures due to the risk of being mistaken for a person of Haitian descent and wrongfully detained.

The Dominican Republic also has one of the worst records in our hemisphere in their treatment of LGBTQ citizens. This includes extortion by the police who all too often look the other way when hate crimes are perpetrated against members of the LGBTQ Community.

In the face of these egregious human rights violations perpetrated under the administration of President Luis Abinader, against a neighboring state, the Americas Act is being framed as a political gift to Abinader. Several co-sponsors of the bill were present in Washington D.C., as the Americas Society/Council of the Americas (ASCOA) feted Abinader with a leadership award and provided him a reputational smoke screen for his human rights abuses. Both Abinader and the Americas Act supporters present at the event touted the legislation as a joint political triumph waiting to be achieved. Those eager to give Abinader a platform to cover up his actions clearly ignored the April 9 letter to Abinader from Amnesty International that detailed these outrageous human rights abuses carried out by his government.

Colorado must not cede America’s moral leadership and gives economic and political benefits to human rights abusers, without contingency or a promise to reverse course and do better. This issue should concern every Coloradan who shares the belief standing up for human rights is non-negotiable even with our allies. We cannot tell the victims of political, social and economic violence that their lives and dignity are less important than our economic interests.

The crisis in Haiti is unfolding into the worst humanitarian disaster facing our hemisphere today. The collapse of government authority in Port-au-Prince has allowed more than 200 gangs to seize violent control and prey on the innocent residents of the city. Haitians are fleeing political and economic oppression. Instead of providing humanitarian assistance and being an active partner for solutions, the neighboring Dominican Republic is practicing a brutal form of racism and xenophobia. And for that they should never be rewarded. I call on Sen. Bennet who has an otherwise sterling record supporting human rights around the globe, to renege his position on the America Act and stand with the Haitian people and all other people who are subject to human rights abuses both abroad and within our borders.

Colorado state Rep. Junie Joseph is a member of the National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON) and the chair of the National Legislative Committee.