3 days ago
Rep. Mike Lawler urges removal of troubled Haiti from President Trump's travel ban
Congressman Mike Lawler on Thursday came out against Haiti's inclusion on President Trump's travel ban.
The move prevents the entry of foreigners from 12 countries who are seeking to come to the U.S. permanently as legal immigrants, as well as those with temporary visas, including tourists. Lawler is strongly urging the Trump administration to reconsider the full suspension of entry for Haitian nationals.
"We have a moral duty to help"
Lawler, a Republican who represents all of Rockland and portions of Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties in New York, said Haiti's humanitarian crisis, including gang-related atrocities that have resulted in 1,600 killed in the first three months of 2025, is reason enough to embrace the troubled Caribbean nation, not reject its people outright.
"Haiti's disaster has been growing, and given our proximity to the nation and our historical interventions. We have a moral duty to help. Haitians cannot do it alone," Lawler said in a statement. "This travel ban will only deepen the suffering of Haitians, many of whom have strong ties to the U.S., including the vibrant Haitian diaspora in the Hudson Valley that I represent in Congress, and risks isolating Haiti further at a time when they need our support most."
Back in February, Lawler urged Mr. Trump to maintain Temporary Protected Status for Haitian citizens in the U.S., noting the country's "unstable and dangerous" conditions following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, which gave way to a rise in gang violence.
"I strongly urge the Trump administration to immediately remove Haiti from this list, or at the very least, reduce it to a partial ban as was done for countries like Cuba and Venezuela," Lawler said. "Last month, Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio testified that the Trump administration is 'prepared to play a leading role' in the Organization of American States and asserted that the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission 'alone will not solve this problem.' I urge the administration to move forward with such a leading role, including a potential security mission led by OAS to end the crisis and lead Haiti on a path to stability."
Here are the countries on the travel ban list
Citing national security in the wake of last week's terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, Mr. Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday night that bars travelers from the following countries to enter the U.S. permanently as legal immigrants, as well as those with temporary visas:
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Chad
The Republic of the Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Yemen
The proclamation also partially suspends the entry of travelers and immigrants from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The ban takes effect on Monday.
