(HAITI) — The United States imposed new visa restrictions and revoked existing visas for two members of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council and their immediate family members, the U.S. Department of State announced on January 25, 2026.
“The Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions and revoke the visas of two (2) Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) members and their immediate family members (spouse and children),” said Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of State.
“These actions are being taken due to the TPC members’ involvement in the operation of gangs and other criminal organizations in Haiti, including through interference with the Government of Haiti’s efforts to counter gangs designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by the United States,” Pigott said.
Targeted visa restrictions and revocations
The State Department said the targeted visa restrictions and revocations apply to the two identified TPC members and their “immediate family members (spouse and children).” These actions are grounded in foreign policy concerns and allegations of involvement with gangs and criminal organizations.
The Department of State grounded the January 25 action against Transitional Presidential Council members in Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a foreign policy-related provision that allows the United States to exclude individuals whose entry or activities would have “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the United States.
In practical terms, visa restrictions and revocations can bar travel using an existing U.S. visa and can affect future visa eligibility and consular processing. When a visa is revoked, a traveler may face immediate problems boarding a flight or attempting to enter the United States, even if a visa was previously valid.
The January 25 State Department release did not publicly name the two Transitional Presidential Council members. It said the move brought the total to at least three council members targeted by such measures in recent months, following the November 2025 revocation of former council member Fritz Alphonse Jean’s visa.
For immediate family members, the State Department statement made clear the scope extended to a “spouse and children,” a detail that can matter for families with pending travel plans, existing visas, or upcoming consular interviews. In many cases, applicants learn about a revocation or restriction through the operational consequences—such as being unable to travel—rather than through detailed public explanations.
Broad suspension of immigrant visa issuance for Haitians
Alongside targeted restrictions, the State Department implemented a broader policy affecting Haitian nationals as a group: a pause on immigrant visa issuance. Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State implemented a pause on immigrant visa issuances for all Haitian nationals.
The policy means immigrant visas are not issued during the pause, even if an applicant attends an interview. The State Department described the policy as applying to nationals from countries deemed to have a “high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer.”
For Haitian nationals already in the immigrant visa pipeline, the pause creates practical uncertainty. Applicants may still attend interviews, but “no immigrant visas are currently being issued to Haitian nationals during this pause,” the State Department policy description said.
Because the pause targets immigrant visa issuance, it falls most heavily on Haitians using consular processing abroad for permanent immigration pathways such as family-based and employment-based immigrant visas. The State Department description did not list specific categories, but described the pause as applying to “all Haitian nationals” for immigrant visa issuance.
Applicants caught in a pause often have to plan around time-sensitive documents that are part of consular processing. Medical exams and police certificates can have limited validity, and delays can force applicants to repeat steps or update paperwork.
Termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti
A third, separate track comes from the Department of Homeland Security, which announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. On November 28, 2025, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the formal termination of TPS for Haiti.
Haiti’s TPS designation and related benefits will officially terminate on February 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. The announcement matters to Haitian TPS holders who rely on TPS as their only basis for lawful presence and employment authorization in the United States.
“The Secretary determined that it is contrary to the national interest to allow Haitian nationals (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti) to remain temporarily in the United States,” the DHS quote said.
The DHS announcement said approximately 330,000–350,000 Haitian nationals currently holding TPS will lose their lawful status and work authorization on February 3, 2026, unless they obtain another lawful immigration status. TPS termination does not automatically remove other immigration options a person may have, but it ends TPS-based protection and TPS-linked work authorization after the termination date unless another status exists.
Common pathways people may consider include family-based immigration options, employment-based options, asylum and related protections where applicable, student status, or other humanitarian pathways, but eligibility depends on each person’s circumstances and procedural posture.
How the three measures differ and whom they affect
The three tracks operate in different systems and affect different populations: targeted visa restrictions tied to specific TPC figures and their immediate families; the immigrant visa issuance pause applying by nationality to Haitian nationals seeking immigrant visas via consular processing; and TPS termination affecting Haitians already in the United States who relied on TPS for protection and work authorization.
The first is a targeted action tied to foreign policy and alleged links to gangs. The second halts the final step of immigrant visa issuance through consular processing. The third changes the status and work authorization outlook for a large group of Haitians already in the United States.
- Targeted visa restrictions and revocations. Focus on specific individuals and their immediate family members.
- Immigrant visa issuance pause. Applies to all Haitian nationals seeking immigrant visas through consular processing.
- TPS termination. Ends Temporary Protected Status and TPS-based work authorization for many Haitians in the U.S.
Political and security context
The measures arrive as Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council faces a deadline that U.S. officials highlighted as a point of diplomatic pressure. The council’s mandate is officially scheduled to expire on February 7, 2026.
The U.S. government expressed concern over “political infighting” and efforts by some council members to oust Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to retain power beyond the February deadline. That political context shapes U.S. visa decisions, which can reflect foreign policy priorities tied to governance, legitimacy, and security.
On Friday, January 23, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally called Prime Minister Fils-Aimé to reaffirm support. Rubio emphasized that the Transitional Presidential Council “must be dissolved by February 7 without corrupt actors seeking to interfere in Haiti’s path to elected governance for their own gains.”
Security conditions also sit behind the U.S. stance. The State Department maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti, citing widespread gang violence, and alleged that certain TPC members were supporting or exploiting gang activity.
A travel advisory does not by itself determine visa eligibility or how an immigrant visa case proceeds. Advisories speak to U.S. citizens’ risk, while visa restrictions, immigrant visa issuance pauses, and TPS decisions operate through separate legal authorities and administrative processes.
Practical impacts for applicants, families, employers
Visa revocations can produce immediate travel disruptions, such as being unable to board a flight or enter the United States despite a previously valid visa. For families, the extension of revocations to “spouse and children” can disrupt planned travel and consular interviews.
The immigrant visa pause creates uncertainty for those in the consular pipeline: interviews may continue, but final visa issuance and printing are halted. Employers and families expecting a final visa after an interview may therefore face delays and need to plan around expiring supporting documents.
TPS termination means many Haitian nationals in the United States will lose lawful status and work authorization on February 3, 2026, unless they secure an alternative immigration status. The DHS estimate of 330,000–350,000 affected individuals underscores the scale and downstream effects for employers, communities, and families.
Official sources and references
Official U.S. documentation provides the main reference points for readers tracking effective dates and authorities. The State Department press release titled Visa Restrictions for Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) Members for Supporting Gangs covers the January 25, 2026 announcement and identifies Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as the legal basis.
DHS and USCIS posted the November 28, 2025 notice titled Termination of the Designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, which states the TPS end point of February 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and includes the DHS quote on the national interest determination.
The Federal Register includes “90 FR 54733” regarding TPS termination, a reference that readers and lawyers often use to confirm the controlling notice and track any follow-on updates. For applicants and families making immigration plans, those primary documents serve as the anchor for confirming dates and understanding which part of the U.S. immigration system controls their situation.
