U.S. revokes visas of two members of Haiti's ruling presidential council, cites gang ties

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on Jan 25, 2026

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Two members of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council have had their U.S. visas revoked, the Trump administration said Sunday, just days after the ruling panel moved to oust the country’s prime minister amid deepening political turmoil.

In a statement on Sunday, the State Department said it was imposing visa restrictions on two members of the council known as the TPC, and their immediate family members, including spouses and children. The individuals were not named.

“These actions are being taken due to the TPC members’ involvement in the operation of gangs and other criminal organizations in Haiti,” said State Department Spokesman Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, citing interference with the Haitian government’s efforts to combat gangs designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations.

No specifics were offered about the alleged ties with gangs that currently control large swaths of Port-au-Prince and are quickly expanding to other regions. But in the last 24 hours, some council members have been attempting to use their vote as leverage with the prime minister, while a well-known gang figure posted a video on TikTok voicing support for the council.

The decision, the department added, generally bars entry to individuals whose presence or activities could have “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the United States.

The latest move brings to at least three the number of council members who have lost U.S. visas or green cards in the past two months. The State Department previously revoked the U.S. visa of former Central Bank governor and council member Fritz Alphonse Jean, who confirmed he had been barred from entering the United States following an attempt in November to remove Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. Jean, who also was accused of gang ties in the State Department communiqué that did not name him, rejected the allegations at the time.

Tensions between Haiti’s transitional authorities have been escalating since November. This week, with the council’s mandate set to expire on Feb. 7 and no elected president in place, five of the council’s seven voting members voted to fire Fils-Aimé and put a new government in place.

The Trump administration has described the action as illegal, and warned council members that they risk sanctions if they continue. On Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally called Fils-Aimé to reaffirm U.S. support and to underscore that the council’s mandate ends on Feb. 7, according to U.S. officials.

The United States, the State Department said, remains committed to supporting stability in Haiti and working with Haitian authorities to combat gang violence.

“The Haitian people have had enough with gang violence, destruction and political infighting,” the statement said, adding that the Trump administration “will pursue accountability for those who continue to destabilize Haiti and the region.”