Residents fleeing clashes between rival armed groups gathered on Monday near routes leading to Toussaint Louverture International Airport after gunmen attacked neighborhoods, burned homes and expanded fighting across parts of Port-au-Prince, according to residents and local authorities.

Monique Verdieux, 56, said she escaped after armed men set houses ablaze in her neighborhood, leaving her separated from relatives who fled in different directions.“I am now sleeping in the street,” Verdieux said, adding that returning home was too dangerous.

The latest violence underscores the deepening collapse of public security in Haiti, where gangs have steadily expanded territorial control since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Authorities estimate criminal groups now control more than 90% of Port-au-Prince, while kidnappings, looting and sexual violence have spread beyond the capital into rural regions.

Haiti has remained without an elected president since Moïse was killed at his private residence, contributing to a prolonged political vacuum and weakening state institutions.Security concerns near the airport have also alarmed major businesses operating in the country.

Haitian rum producer Rhum Barbancourt and two of the nation’s largest bottling companies warned in a joint statement on Sunday that worsening insecurity and damaged roads around the airport were hampering patrols by security forces and disrupting commercial activity.

“The government’s response has been largely insufficient,” the companies said, adding that deteriorating road conditions near the airport had further undermined efforts to secure the area.Operations at the airport are now severely restricted, according to the statement.

The violence has intensified despite the gradual deployment of an international security mission backed by the United Nations. In April, the first contingent of foreign troops linked to the mission arrived in Haiti to support local police in combating armed groups.

The U.N. Security Council approved plans in September for a multinational force of 5,550 personnel, although the full contingent has yet to be deployed.

Troops from Chad are among those reported to have arrived in the country.According to the International Organization for Migration, gang violence has displaced more than 1.4 million people across Haiti.

The agency said roughly 200,000 displaced people are living in overcrowded and underfunded shelters in the capital.

These individuals have been instructed to leave the country before their permits and deportation protections are terminated on April 24, as per a federal notice.

The affected migrants were admitted under a Biden-era sponsorship initiative known as CHNV, which aimed to provide legal pathways for migration. However, Trump suspended the program upon assuming office.

It remains uncertain how many of these migrants have secured alternative legal status that would allow them to stay in the U.S.

Background of the CHNV Program

Initiated in 2022 under Democratic President Joe Biden, the CHNV program initially focused on Venezuelans before expanding to include additional nationalities. The initiative allowed eligible migrants and their immediate family members to enter the U.S. with American sponsors and remain for two years under a temporary immigration status called parole.

The Biden administration had advocated that CHNV would reduce illegal border crossings while ensuring thorough vetting of entrants. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized the program, stating it had not met its intended goals.

In a statement, DHS officials accused the previous administration of using the program to facilitate job competition between migrants and American workers, compelling civil servants to support the initiative despite evidence of fraud, and blaming congressional Republicans for subsequent border issues.

Potential Exceptions and Further Policy Changes

While the Federal Register’s 35-page notice confirmed the program’s termination, it suggested that some CHNV recipients might be permitted to stay on a case-by-case basis.

Trump is also reportedly reviewing the temporary legal status of approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who sought refuge in the U.S. during Russia’s invasion.

The CHNV program had allowed:

213,000 Haitians to enter the U.S. amid worsening conditions in their homeland.

120,700 Venezuelans, 110,900 Cubans, and over 93,000 Nicaraguans to seek refuge before Trump ended the initiative.

Termination of Other Immigration Protections

Last month, DHS announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 500,000 Haitians as of August 2025. TPS, a designation for nationals from countries facing extreme conditions such as armed conflict or natural disasters, had also been revoked for Venezuelans, though this decision is currently facing legal challenges.

Since taking office in January, Trump’s immigration policies have encountered several legal obstacles, raising questions about the long-term future of these measures and their broader impact on affected migrant communities.

Washington (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday said it will boost support for the Haitian police as they battle armed gangs and will speed up delivery of aid to a country suffering from crippling shortages of basic goods due to a gang blockade of a key fuel terminal.