Brooklyn, NY – Haitian-American lawmakers and U.S. Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke have voiced strong condemnation of President Donald J. Trump’s newly implemented travel ban, which blocks entry to the United States from 12 countries, including Haiti.
Alongside Haiti, the countries affected by the ban include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. In addition, Trump has placed further restrictions on travelers from Cuba, Venezuela, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan.
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New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party and daughter of Haitian immigrants, expressed grave concern in a statement to reporters.
“It is with outrage and concern that Trump’s administration has imposed a new travel ban that disproportionately affects African and Caribbean nations, including Haiti,” said Bichotte Hermelyn, who represents Brooklyn’s 42nd Assembly District. “As the daughter of Haitian immigrants, I condemn this discriminatory policy. This decision will create chaos, threaten families, and harm diplomatic relations, causing fear and uncertainty.”
She urged Americans to reject “Trump’s racist and xenophobic policies” and defend democratic principles across all branches of government.
New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis, who is of Haitian and Bahamian descent, called the decision “a despicable and deeply troubling moment for our community.”
“Haiti is once again being unfairly targeted,” said Louis, representative for Brooklyn’s 45th Council District. “This is clearly an intentional attack on our identity and dignity. The federal government has exhibited ongoing hostility toward Haitians, many of whom have built lives and contributed significantly to our economy.”
Louis warned that this latest move exacerbates existing threats, noting the administration’s ongoing deportation plans set for August 2025.
“Turning away Haitians fleeing violence and political instability is a cruel policy wrapped in false justification,” she said. “The United States has a moral obligation to protect, not punish, the vulnerable.”
Louis also announced that the National Haitian American Elected Officials Network would soon unveil a “comprehensive, coordinated national strategy” to support Haitian nationals impacted by the travel ban.
Brooklyn City Council Member Rita Joseph, who was born in Haiti and represents the 40th District, said Trump’s policy ignores the scale of the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Haiti.
“This travel ban punishes victims of extreme violence and political unrest,” Joseph told reporters. “In 2024 alone, over 5,600 Haitians were killed in gang violence, and one million people — half of them children — have been displaced.”
Joseph emphasized the severity of the crisis, noting that the United Nations has described Haiti’s plight as nearing “a point of no return,” with nearly half of the population facing acute food insecurity.
“Instead of closing our doors to Haitians, the U.S. should be working alongside the Haitian Diaspora and international partners to address the root causes of this crisis,” she said.
The council member further highlighted the expansion of gang violence into new regions, including at least four massacres that claimed over 400 lives in recent months.
“These travel restrictions come at a time when Haiti desperately needs international support,” she stressed. “Nearly half the Haitian population is in need of humanitarian assistance. Denying legal pathways to migration only deepens the suffering.”
Joseph called on Trump to reverse the ban and to support efforts aimed at restoring security, increasing humanitarian aid, stabilizing Haiti’s economy, and tackling the arms trade fueling the violence.
“Our Haitian community has always strengthened the fabric of this nation,” Joseph said. “We must not abandon them now. As a city representative of a large Haitian population, I will continue to fight for their protection and support lasting solutions that restore peace and prosperity.”
U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke, a Brooklyn native and the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, echoed her colleagues’ outrage, describing Trump’s move as “bigotry in the name of security.”
“We’ve seen this before,” said Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “We remember the Muslim Ban. We remember what he said about ‘shithole’ countries. His hate isn’t new. But tonight, the president saw the world’s most suffering people — and chose to make them suffer more. What kind of man is he?”
In an official proclamation on Wednesday, Trump defended the travel restrictions as vital to national security. He cited a return to policies implemented during his first administration, which he claimed successfully kept potential threats out of the U.S. and were upheld by the Supreme Court.
The order, titled Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, outlines a policy to “prevent the entry or admission of foreign nationals about whom the United States Government lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose.”
Trump claimed the restrictions are necessary to encourage cooperation from foreign governments and to enforce immigration laws aligned with national security and counterterrorism goals.
Despite these justifications, critics say the policy disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations — especially Haitians fleeing violence, poverty, and political turmoil — and represents a continuation of xenophobic rhetoric cloaked in security concerns.
