After the US Congress reached its September 30 budget deadline, two important trade preference programs for Haiti remain uncertain.
The Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) provide duty-free access to Haitian textiles and are essential to the Haitian economy.
Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D) of the United States Virgin Islands warns that a failure to renew the HOPE and HELP programs would likely cause large-scale factory closures, job losses, and relocation of companies. This would ultimately weaken supply chains in the Western Hemisphere.
To combat this, Plaskett introduced the HOPE for Haitian Prosperity Act of 2025, which aims to extend the HOPE and HELP programs for an extra decade, until 2037. (Notably, Plaskett introduced previous versions of this bill in 2023 and 2024, neither of which received a vote and both of which consequently died in Congress.)
The act features capacity-building measures and technical assistance to support Haiti’s apparel sector, the country’s largest formal employer. While Haiti is the main beneficiary, the proposed act also extends to regional stability to all US territories.
Both the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, two of the largest US territories, have direct connections to these developments.
A Caribbean territory with both maritime and trade ties to Haiti, the US Virgin Islands could experience heightened migration, strained shipping, and disrupted commerce. Moreover, the US Virgin Islands are home to many factories of well-known brands, including Victoria’s Secret, Calvin Klein, Gap, and Hanes. Economic instability in the region could push these brands to relocate production to Asia, impacting thousands of jobs.
Puerto Rico’s established industrial base and apparel manufacturing position it as both a competitor and counterpart to Haiti. Additionally, Puerto Rico’s function as a logistical hub demonstrates how regional trade disruptions can impact multiple Caribbean economies.
For Pacific territories such as Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, the link is less geographically direct, but still potentially significant in terms of precedent-setting for policy. The HOPE and HELP programs represent a US policy approach that favors relocating supply chains closer to home, rather than relying on distant producers.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump stated that he is seeking to bring manufacturing industries back to the US. However, his priority is to attract makers of military technology, not the textile industry.
If Congress emphasizes hemispheric production in the Americas, Pacific territories may find themselves navigating a policy environment that prioritizes one region over another.
At the same time, the territories in the Pacific could point to the Haitian example when making their own case for trade incentives, economic development tools, or supply chain integration.
Beyond economics, there are also humanitarian and political considerations. Proponents of renewal argue that sustaining Haiti’s textile sector is not only a trade matter but also a necessary stabilizing measure as the country continues to experience political upheaval and ongoing humanitarian crises.
As Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D) of Florida puts it, failing to extend the program in Haiti would “push the country deeper into crisis.” A weakened Haitian economy could intensify emigration, increase demand for humanitarian aid, and destabilize neighboring states and territories, particularly in the Caribbean, where the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico will be on the frontlines.
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