The White House announced that fans from Haiti and Iran will be barred from attending the World Cup, alongside the possibility of immigration raids targeting supporters. While visas will be denied to individuals deemed a potential threat, the administration stated its welcome to international supporters wanting to spend money in the US. Despite heightened anti-immigration rhetoric, the White House anticipates millions of fans will visit for the tournament.
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Doctors Without Borders announced the permanent closure of its emergency care center in Port-au-Prince due to escalating violence, which has left the city 90% controlled by gangs. The center, which treated over 100,000 patients since 2021, had been repeatedly targeted, including an attack in March 2025 that led to its temporary closure. This closure, along with the shuttering of over 60% of the capital’s health facilities, exacerbates the humanitarian crisis where gang violence has caused a surge in deaths, injuries, and displacement of over 1.4 million people.
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Vectus Global, a security firm led by Blackwater founder Erik Prince, is preparing to deploy hundreds of combatants from the US, Europe, and El Salvador to Haiti to combat the country’s gangs. The firm has been operating in Haiti since March and aims to help authorities regain control of key areas, with a 10-year deal reportedly including a role in Haiti’s tax-collection system. This deployment, which includes snipers, specialists, and equipment, has sparked concerns from human rights advocates who worry about the outsourcing of solutions and a further weakening of Haitian institutions. Despite Vectus’s existing presence and drone deployment, gangs continue to hold strategic dominance, raising questions about the effectiveness of this private military intervention and its impact on the Haitian police and the UN-backed security force.
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Erik Prince’s plan to deploy forces in Haiti for a decade to combat gangs and collect taxes, well, it certainly raises a lot of eyebrows, doesn’t it? The concept itself, a private military company effectively running security and revenue collection in a sovereign nation, is something out of a dystopian novel. Yet, here we are, with Erik Prince, a known associate of Donald Trump, seemingly poised to do just that. The scale of this undertaking is substantial.
Considering his history with Blackwater, the private military company infamous for its involvement in Iraq, it’s hard not to view this development with a degree of skepticism.… Continue reading
Senior U.N. officials have issued a stark warning about the escalating violence in Haiti, stating that gangs have gained “near-total control” of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The gangs have expanded their attacks into previously peaceful areas and are establishing “parallel governance structures” due to a weakened state presence. The U.N. has noted a rise in sexual violence and extrajudicial killings amid the ongoing crisis. Despite the presence of a U.N.-backed mission, which is understaffed and underfunded, the gangs continue to acquire more powerful weapons, and the situation is worsening.
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The Trump administration has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, affecting over 520,000 Haitian nationals residing in the United States. This decision, set to expire on August 3, 2025, and take effect on September 2, 2025, reverses a prior extension granted by the Biden administration. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims that improved conditions in Haiti no longer warrant TPS, despite ongoing political instability and a rise in gang violence that has created a humanitarian crisis. Haitian immigrants and advocates are expressing strong opposition to the decision, citing the severe risks of returning to a country facing widespread insecurity and economic hardship.
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A Colorado jury found Michael Geilenfeld, founder of Haiti’s St. Joseph’s Home For Boys, guilty of sexually abusing multiple boys under his care between 2005 and 2010. The conviction stems from six counts of illicit sexual conduct and one count of traveling for illicit sexual purposes, resulting in a potential 30-year prison sentence. This case followed a prior defamation suit Geilenfeld filed, ironically leading to the uncovering of evidence that ultimately secured his conviction. Geilenfeld’s actions were brought to light largely due to the persistence of Paul Kendrick, a Maine resident who had previously accused Geilenfeld of abuse.
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At least 184 people were killed in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince, over the weekend, bringing the year’s death toll to an estimated 5,000. A gang leader, blaming Vodou practitioners for his son’s illness, orchestrated a massacre targeting elderly individuals and Vodou followers. The violence, which included mutilation and burning of bodies, highlights the escalating gang control in Haiti, exacerbated by political instability and the ongoing presence of armed groups. This incident adds to the existing humanitarian crisis, with over 700,000 Haitians internally displaced.
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Following incidents of gunfire directed at civilian aircraft in Haiti, the Federal Aviation Administration has implemented a 30-day ban on U.S. civilian flights to and from the country, effective immediately. This ban also prohibits U.S. flights from operating below 10,000 feet in Haitian airspace. The decision was made out of concern for the safety of passengers and crew, as both Spirit Airlines and American Airlines reported incidents of their aircraft being struck by gunfire while attempting to land in Port-au-Prince. American Airlines has suspended flights to the Haitian capital through February 12th, and JetBlue Airways has also temporarily ceased service to Haiti.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood