As U.S. President Donald Trump’s new travel ban takes effect on Monday, Haiti is among 12 countries grappling with its consequences.
The Caribbean nation, plagued by rampant gang violence and dependent on international aid amid a deepening humanitarian and security crisis, is expected to be severely impacted by the ban. For many Haitian families and small businesses, it cuts off what they see as a vital connection to stability and opportunity.
At Newark Airport on Sunday, Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste was preparing to fly back to her home in Florida. Reflecting on conditions in Haiti, she said the country is “not in the best shape as it was before,” adding that countless Haitians are desperate to escape the violence.
“There are a lot of just kidnappings, killings, it’s just really bad right now. And I feel like people need to escape to have the chance to live life, literally,” she said. “I have family in Haiti, so it’s pretty upsetting to see and hear.”
According to a guidance memo sent Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions, the new travel restrictions will not cancel visas already issued. However, starting Monday, most new visa applications from the listed countries will be denied unless the applicant qualifies for a narrow exemption.
Despite the looming restrictions, there was no noticeable surge of travellers trying to leave Haiti over the weekend. At the country’s only operational airport, passengers heading to the U.S. were wary of speaking to reporters, citing concerns about being exposed and possibly targeted upon arrival.
The announcement of the ban sparked a wave of outrage in Haiti last week, with angry responses flooding radio stations and social media platforms. Many called the policy discriminatory, with some branding President Trump as “racist.”
The new directive also affects citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Immigration experts suggest the updated ban is structured to withstand legal challenges. Unlike the rushed executive order early in Trump’s presidency that barred entry primarily from Muslim-majority countries, the current version appears more calculated—focusing specifically on the visa application process.
