The Trump administration will ban immigrants from Haiti — which the president included in his “s–thole countries” remark — from applying for temporary visas given to low-skilled workers, the Department of Homeland Security said. The department said it would remove Haiti, Belize and Samoa from a list of more than 80 countries whose residents are eligible for H-2A and H-2B visas, which usually are granted for seasonal workers in agriculture and other industries.
DHS cited “high levels of fraud and abuse” by Haitians and their “high rate of overstaying the terms” of their visas in its decision, announced late Wednesday.
Haitians in the United States on a number of non-immigrant visas, including those cited by DHS, had an overstay rate of 39 percent in 2016, the department said.
“Haiti has shown no improvement in these areas, and the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, that Haiti’s inclusion on the 2018 H-2A and H-2B lists is no longer in the U.S. interest,” DHS said.
Belize was dropped over concerns about human trafficking, while Samoa was excluded because it was not taking back deported nationals.
The action comes after President Trump during a White House meeting on immigration last Thursday reportedly complained about the US accepting immigrants from “s–thole countries,” referring to Haiti, Africa and El Salvador.
Trump has denied making the remarks but acknowledged using “tough” language.
The Trump administration announced last November it would end “temporary protected status” for Haitians allowed entry to the US after the 2010 earthquake devastated the Caribbean island and killed more than 200,000 people.
The protections will end on July 22, 2019.
Sixty-five Haitians entered the United States on H-2A visas, given for agricultural work, in the 2016 fiscal year, Reuters reported, citing DHS data, and 54 Haitians were granted H-2A visas by the State Department between March and November 2017.
Advocates of the visa program say it allows Haitians to work legally in the US and help contribute to earthquake recovery efforts.
“They’re just cutting off the most economically beneficial visa for the Haitian people,” Sarah Williamson, founder of PTP Consulting, a Virginia company that ran a program for Haitian earthquake victims, told Reuters. “Even though not many people have been able to avail themselves of it, it’s been hugely transformational for those who have participated.”
