WEATHER ALERT
Haiti says it supports a UN peacekeeping mission to fight the country's violent gangs
The president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council says he supports a U.N. peacekeeping mission to fight gang violence still overwhelming authorities.
Democrats try to censure Rep. Clay Higgins for slandering Haitians in social media post
A Republican congressman who slandered Haitian immigrants in a social media post is facing a censure push from Democrats.
Dominican president warns of 'drastic measures' if anti-gang mission in Haiti fails
The president of the Dominican Republic has warned that his administration would take “drastic measures” to protect the country if a U.N.-backed mission in neighboring Haiti targeting gang violence fails.
Trump’s allegation about Haitians prompts rally in support of Harris in Miami-Dade
Some Haitians and Haitian Americans in South Florida were still outraged Sunday about former Donald Trump’s assertion that “in Springfield, they’re eating the dogs; they’re eating the cats.”
As UN meets, Haitians express hopelessness at finding an international solution to gang crisis
As world leaders discuss the future of efforts to wrangle the gangs strangling Haiti, Haitians are expressing hopelessness over an international response to the tide of violence.
A news site that covers Haitian-Americans is facing harassment over its post-debate coverage of Ohio
Journalists at a news site that covers issues facing the Haitian community in the United States say they've been harassed and intimidated with racist messages for covering the false story about immigrants eating the pets of people in Springfield, Ohio.
Residents of Springfield, Ohio, hunker down and pray for a political firestorm to blow over
In the quiet corners of Springfield, Ohio — out of sight of the drumbeat of politicians, journalists, troopers and newly installed security cameras — people are attempting to carry on.
What to know about the threats in Springfield, Ohio, after false claims about Haitian immigrants
A small Ohio city has been inundated with hoax bomb threats since last week’s presidential debate, when former President Donald Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs.
Ohio state police to protect schools after furor over Haitian immigrants in Springfield
Ohio state police will help protect schools in a city that has endured dozens of violent threats in the wake of a national political furor over Haitian migrants.
This Week In South Florida Roundtable: Sept. 15, 2024
The Florida secretary of state defended an investigation into petition fraud, as advocates gather signatures to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution through the proposed Amendment 4 — subject to a referendum on the November ballot.
Vance doesn't back away from false claims about migrants in Ohio even amid threats to the community
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance isn't backing away from the false claims he and Donald Trump have been making that Haitians living in an Ohio community are abducting and eating pets.
Trump and Vance are still stoking fears of Haitian migrants, as Ohio community faces bomb threats
Donald Trump and his running mate continue to disparage Haitian migrants in an Ohio community, further fueling false claims the Republicans have promoted even as the city has seen bomb threats and school evacuations and local officials called for a cooling of the anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Father of Ohio boy asks Trump not to invoke his son's death in immigration debate
The father of an Ohio boy killed last year when a Haitian immigrant driver hit a school bus is imploring Donald Trump and others to stop invoking his son's name in the debate about immigration.
Human rights group calls on governments to protect Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants
Human Rights Watch is calling on governments in Latin America to improve protection schemes for millions of people from Venezuela and Haiti who have struggled to get work, education and health care in their host countries and are increasingly heading to the United States.
Blinken arrives in Haiti to show US support for fighting gang violence
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Haiti to reaffirm the government’s commitment to a multinational mission deployed to fight gangs in the Caribbean country and push for the organization of long-awaited general elections.
The US mulls a peacekeeping operation for Haiti to secure money and equipment to fight gangs
The U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs says the U.S. is mulling a U.N. peacekeeping operation in Haiti as one way to secure funding and staffing for a current mission led by Kenya to quell gang violence in the Caribbean country.
Haiti's army wants recruits to fight gangs, and youths jump at the rare job offer
Thousands of young Haitians are jumping at the chance to become soldiers as widespread gang violence creates rare job opportunities in a deeply impoverished country where work is scarce.
Local 10 in Haiti: Nation of 12 million looks to new prime minister to defeat gangs
After arriving at Haiti’s National Palace this week, Local 10 News witnessed a significant change in the Caribbean nation: dozens of members of its newly reformed military, marking the first time since the 1990s that Haiti has had an army.
Local 10 visits Haiti as nation attempts to rebuild after near-collapse
Local 10′s Calvin Hughes arrived in Port-au-Prince on Monday, bringing viewers a firsthand look at Haiti’s challenges and efforts to rebuild a country that was once hailed as the crown jewel of the Caribbean.
Haiti’s anti-gang crackdown: About a dozen killed after prison break
Amid an ongoing anti-gang crackdown involving a United Nations-backed law enforcement mission, Haitian authorities reported a prison break turned deadly in Saint-Marc, a coastal city north of Port-au-Prince.
New U.S. Ambassador to Haiti provides latest updates from Little Haiti
Just four months into the job, Dennis Hankins, the new U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, came to the role amid the country’s on-going economic, security and humanitarian crisis.
At least 3 dead in Haiti after boat catches fire during escape attempt
Officials in Haiti say at least three people have died and up to 40 remain missing after a boat in the waters off northern Haiti caught fire with up to 80 Haitians on board trying to escape to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Haiti's prime minister orders gangs to drop weapons and promises to take back control of the capital
Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille has ordered gangs to surrender their weapons and acknowledged how dangerous life in Haiti’s capital and beyond has become.
More Kenyan police arrive in Haiti with UN-backed mission to fight violent gangs
Another 200 police officers from Kenya have arrived in Haiti for a U.N.-backed mission led by the East African country to battle violent gangs that have taken over parts of the troubled Caribbean country.
Haitian prime minister tours Port au Prince hospital after police take back from gang control
Haiti’s newly selected Prime Minister Garry Conille and Haiti’s police chief visited the capital’s largest hospital, after authorities said they took control of the medical institution over the weekend from armed gangs.
Haiti's prime minister says Kenyan police are crucial to controlling gangs, early days are positive
Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille told the U.N. Security Council that recently deployed Kenyan police will be crucial to helping control the country’s gangs and moving toward democratic elections.
Biden administration extends temporary legal status to 300,000 Haitians, drawing a contrast to Trump
The Homeland Security Department says more than 300,000 Haitians already in the United States will be eligible for a major expansion of temporary legal status because conditions in the Caribbean nation are unsafe for return.
UN-backed contingent of foreign police arrives in Haiti as Kenya-led force prepares to face gangs
The first U.N.-backed contingent of foreign police officers has arrived in Haiti, nearly two years after the troubled Caribbean country urgently requested help to quell a surge in gang violence.
Forced to rebuild a life at 12, a Haitian girl joins thousands seeking an escape from gang violence
With thousands of people in Haiti driven from their homes by gang violence, some children find distraction from their harsh lives in arts classes.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti’s police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince.
Shunned for centuries, Vodou grows powerful as Haitians seek solace from unrelenting gang violence
Shunned publicly by politicians and intellectuals for centuries, Vodou is transforming into a more powerful and accepted religion across Haiti, where its believers were once persecuted.
Transitional council in Haiti embraces new changes following turmoil as gang violence grips country
A transitional council tasked with choosing new leaders for Haiti is changing the way it operates in a move that is surprising many as gang violence consumes the country.
The unexpected announcement of a prime minister divides Haiti's newly created transitional council
A surprise announcement that revealed Haiti’s new prime minister is dividing a recently installed transitional council tasked with choosing new leaders for the gang-riddled Caribbean country.
Haiti's transitional council names a new prime minister in the hopes of quelling stifling violence
Haiti’s newly installed transitional council has chosen a little known former sports minister as the Caribbean country’s prime minister, as it tries to establish a stable new government amid stifling violence.
Fear grows among Haitians in South Florida who depend on temporary protected status
Frantz Fabien is among the Haitians in South Florida who are worried about the possibility of the expiration of the Temporary Protected Status in August.
New leaders take on Haiti's chaos as those living in fear demand swift solutions to gang violence
It’s been only a day since the transitional presidential council was installed in Haiti, and the list of demands on its members is rapidly growing.
With fear and hope, Haiti warily welcomes 10 new leaders as country choked by gangs seeks peace
Haiti has opened a new political chapter with the installation of a transitional council tasked with picking a new prime minister and preparing for eventual presidential elections, in hopes of quelling spiraling gang violence that has killed thousands in the Caribbean country.
Haiti's government scrambles to impose tight security measures as council inauguration imminent
A transitional council charged with selecting a new prime minister and Cabinet for Haiti is demanding that its members be sworn in at the National Palace, raising concerns about their safety.
Haitians scramble to survive, seeking food, water and safety as gang violence chokes the capital
Life in Port-au-Prince has become a game of survival, pushing Haitians to new limits as they scramble to stay safe and alive while gangs overwhelm the police and the government remains largely absent.
US deports about 50 Haitians to nation hit with gang violence, ending monthslong pause in flights
The Biden administration says it has sent about 50 Haitians back to their country, marking its first deportation flight in months to the Caribbean nation struggling under surging gang violence.
Medical care and supplies are scarce as gang violence chokes Haiti's capital
Fresh gunfire has erupted in Haiti's capital, forcing aid workers in downtown Port-au-Prince to halt urgently needed care for thousands of people.
Haiti's surge in gang violence has led more than 53,000 to flee the capital in less than three weeks
More than 53,000 people have fled Haiti’s capital in less than three weeks as deadly gang violence continues.
State emergency management director: Goal is to get hundreds of Floridians home from Haiti
A Florida Division of Emergency Management flight from Haiti landed early Sunday morning at Orlando International Airport with 21 Floridians rescued from the crisis. Hundreds more want to leave.
As gangs rampage through Haiti's capital, more than 33,000 people have fled in 13 days, report finds
U.N. officials say more than 33,000 people have fled Haiti’s capital in a span of nearly two weeks as gangs continue to pillage homes and attack state institutions.
Gangs target peaceful communities in new attacks on Haiti's capital
Armed gangs are launching new attacks in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince, with heavy gunfire echoing across once-peaceful communities near the Haitian capital.
A team to choose Haiti's next leader takes shape as gang violence engulfs the Caribbean nation
Caribbean leaders say all groups and political parties except one have submitted nominees for a transitional presidential council charged with selecting an interim prime minister for Haiti.
Hunger soars and aid dwindles as gangs in Haiti suffocate the country
Some 1.4 million Haitians are on the verge of famine, and more than 4 million require food aid, sometimes eating only once a day or not at all.
A plan to find new leadership for Haiti is moving forward, Caribbean officials say
Caribbean officials say a plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country.
DeSantis orders Florida resources to stop Haitian migrants despite no sign of increased activity
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is ordering more than 250 law enforcement officers and soldiers to the Florida Keys to help stop what he anticipates to be an increase in Haitian migrants fleeing violence in their country.
Plan to install new leaders in Haiti appears to crumble after political parties reject it
A proposal to install new leadership in Haiti appears to be crumbling as some political parties rejected the plan to create a presidential council that would manage the transition.
Haiti's future is being planned on two tracks: traditional political power and gang power
Haiti’s future is being planned on two tracks — one involving traditional political power, the other focused on the power of gangs.
Ariel Henry bows to pressure, saying he'll resign once a council is formed to lead crisis-hit Haiti
Politicians across Haiti are scrambling for power after Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created.
US forces fly in to beef up security at embassy in Haiti and evacuate nonessential personnel
The U.S. military has flown in forces to beef up security at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and evacuate nonessential personnel.
Gang violence in Haiti: U.S. military aircraft flies in and out of U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince
As Haitian gang violence runs rampant, the U.S. military airlifted personnel in and out of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Southern Command reported on Sunday at the request of the U.S. State Department.
Gangs attack police stations in Haiti as Caribbean leaders call an emergency meeting Monday
Police and palace guards are working to retake some streets in Haiti's capital after gangs launched massive attacks on at least three police stations.
Politicians seek new alliances to lead Haiti as gangs take over and premier tries to return home
Haitian politicians started pursuing new alliances Wednesday, seeking a coalition that could lead the country out of the gang violence that has closed the main airport and prevented embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry from returning home.
There's chaos in Haiti. Powerful gangs are attacking key targets like prisons as alliances shift
Gangs in Haiti are increasingly powerful, and they've been attacking prisons and the main international airport.
Gangs in Haiti try to seize control of main airport in newest attack on key government sites
Heavily armed gangs have tried to seize control of Haiti’s main international airport as they exchanged gunfire with police and soldiers trying to repel them.
Former rebel leader arrives in Haiti's capital as protests against prime minister gain momentum
A former rebel leader has made a surprise appearance in Haiti’s capital amid large protests across the country for the second consecutive day, demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Kenya's high court rules that deploying the nation's police officers to Haiti is unconstitutional
Kenya’s high court has blocked the U.N.-backed deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti to help the Caribbean country bring gang violence under control.
Coast Guard: Dependable’s crew rescues 33 Haitians from sinking boat in ‘heavy seas’
A man was using a yellow bucket as a small crowded boat was taking on water on Monday about 6 miles north of Cap-Haitien, Haiti, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Coup leader Guy Philippe repatriated to Haiti as many question his next role in country in upheaval
Notorious coup leader Guy Philippe has returned to Haiti after the U.S. government repatriated him.
Kenya says it won't deploy police to fight gangs in Haiti until they receive training and funding
Kenya says it won't deploy its police officers to Haiti until all conditions on training and funding are met in line with last month’s approval from the U.
Nicaragua is 'weaponizing' US-bound migrants as Haitians pour in on charter flights, observers say
Flight data shows that more than 260 charter flights believed to be carrying migrants from Haiti have touched down in Nicaragua in recent months.
Dominican Republic has partially reopened its border with Haiti. But a diplomatic crisis persists
The Dominican Republic has partially reopened its border with Haiti to limited commercial activity nearly a month after shuttering the frontier amid an ongoing spat over construction of a canal targeting water from a shared river.
US pledges $100M to back proposed Kenyan-led multinational force to Haiti
The Biden administration is pledging $100 million to support a proposed Kenyan-led multinational force to restore security to conflict-ravaged Haiti and urged other nations to make similar contributions.
Haiti's government to oversee canal project that prompted Dominican Republic to close all borders
Haiti’s government is doubling down on the construction of a canal on Haitian soil that prompted the neighboring Dominican Republic last week to shutter land, air and sea borders that both countries share.
Kenya's president is committing his country to lead a multinational force to Haiti to combat gangs
Kenya’s president is committing his country to lead a multinational force in Haiti to combat gang warfare, even as residents of both countries question the plan being pushed by Washington.
Dominican Republic to close all borders with Haiti in a dispute over a canal
The Dominican Republic’s president has announced he will close all borders with neighboring Haiti starting Friday in a dispute over a canal on the Haitian side that would divert water from a border river.
Haitian officials meet in Dominican Republic to prevent border closings over canal dispute
Haiti’s government says it has met with Dominican officials in the Dominican Republic to talk about a threat by that country’s president to close all borders in response to a row over the construction of a supposed canal.
Haiti gang leader vows to fight any foreign armed force if it commits abuses
An ex-police officer considered by many to be Haiti’s most powerful gang leader warns he will fight any international armed force deployed to the Caribbean country if it commits any abuses.
Rights group urges rapid international intervention to end spiraling gang violence in Haiti
A human rights group has urged the international community to intervene quickly to end spiraling violence by gangs in Haiti.
US backs efforts to send security force to Haiti; ex-president Boniface Alexandre dies
Boniface Alexandre, who served as president of Haiti from 2004 to 2006 after the coup that overthrew Jean-Bertrand Aristide for the second time, died on Friday. He was 87.
Haitians express skepticism over Kenya's offer to UN to send police to confront gangs
Haitians are expressing skepticism over an offer by Kenya to lead an international police force aimed at combatting the gang violence that has wracked the Caribbean nation.
Lack of funding forces UN to slash food program in Haiti amid a surge in malnutrition
The U.N.’s World Food Program says it is facing a shortage of funds and won’t be able to help 100,000 people in Haiti this month who urgently need assistance.
Blinken says a multinational force is needed to help Haiti's National Police restore order
U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken says a multinational force is needed to help Haiti’s National Police as he echoed recent appeals made by United Nations officials who warn that the country’s insecurity is worsening.
UN human rights official says arms embargo and deployment of special force needed for Haiti
A U.N. human rights expert says that a specialized international force is needed to help fight gang violence in Haiti and that an embargo on weapons should be implemented immediately.
US would support Colombian, Panama forces to slow migration
United States forces will assist their Colombian and Panamanian counterparts with intelligence gathering to dismantle smuggling rings operating in the dense jungle of the Darien Gap.
Lawyers fight for man they say US wrongly deported to Haiti
Paul Pierrilus was deported two years ago from the U.S. to Haiti where he has been trying to survive in a chaotic and violent country where he wasn’t born and had never lived.
As Haitian gangs expand control, cop's family is left shaken
One of Haiti’s nearly 200 gangs ambushed a police unit, sending gunfire echoing through the streets in an unexpected area — a mansion-lined stretch of the country’s capital, Port-Au-Prince.
Illegal border crossings surge to highest of Biden's term
Authorities say a surge in Cuban and Nicaraguan arrivals at the U.S. border with Mexico in December led to the highest number of illegal border crossings recorded during any month of Joe Biden’s presidency.
This Week in South Florida: Reporter Debrief with Cody Weddle
New immigration rules for Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans are patterned after a relatively new program for Venezuelan migrants meant to stop people from choosing to attempt illegal crossings.
This Week in South Florida: Willy Allen
In the first week of the new immigration plan, according to the Biden Administration, hundreds of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans have applied, been vetted, and approved to fly into the U.S.