Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – 6/5/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) released a statement strongly urging the Trump Administration to reconsider the full suspension of entry for Haitian nationals that was announced yesterday. 

The situation in Haiti has deteriorated, spiraling into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that demands global attention and support. Armed gangs control large swaths of the capital, Port-au-Prince, with their influence spreading to other regions. Violence, including gang-related atrocities, has surged, with over 1,600 people killed in the first three months of 2025 alone, and more than 1 million Haitians internally displaced. Famine conditions have emerged, with many surviving on just one meal a day. This disaster, exacerbated by corruption, poor governance, and a continuous flow of illicit weapons, has only grown worse, leaving the Haitian people in desperate need of assistance.

While vetting and screening processes in Haiti may be substandard due to the country’s instability, there is no evidence that Haiti is a breeding ground for terrorism that threatens national security. The ban’s inclusion of Haiti is a misguided overreach that ignores the root causes of the crisis. The United States has led three interventions in Haiti that have ultimately failed to create long-term stability, and the United States has a unique responsibility to act.

“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,” Congressman Lawler stated. “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.

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. Last month, Secretary Rubio testified that the Trump Administration is “prepared to play a leading role” in the Organization of American States (OAS) 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,” concluded Congressman Lawler. 

Congressman Lawler has been a steadfast advocate for the Haitian community, previously urging the administration in a February 19, 2025, letter to President Trump to maintain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian citizens in the U.S. He highlighted the “critical situation ongoing in Haiti” and the importance of TPS for Hudson Valley families, noting the country’s “unstable and dangerous” conditions following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the subsequent rise in gang violence. Congressman Lawler also led a resolution calling for the United States and its international partners to redouble their diplomatic efforts to help achieve a negotiated, Haitian-led solution to the current impasse.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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