Mitch Albom's Haiti orphanage impacted by current Trump travel ban

Trump travel ban impacting Mitch Albom's Haiti orphanage

When the Trump administration’s travel ban went into effect last week, Haiti was one of several countries on the list - and restricts the entry of Haitian Nationals to the US.

FOX 2 - As the Trump Administration considers adding more countries to its travel ban, best-selling Detroit author, journalist and activist is coming out against it.

Mitch Albom has an orphanage in Haiti and he says the travel ban is adding more pain to an already devastating situation

"I was just there a week ago and the conditions in Port-au-Prince are unimaginable," he said.

Albom started an orphanage in Haiti called Have Faith Haiti to pour hope into those who have no place to turn.

"Our kids in the orphanage, have not been outside of an orphanage in over four years," he said.

When the Trump administration’s travel ban went into effect last week, Haiti was one of several countries on the list - and restricts the entry of Haitian Nationals to the US.

"Even kids who have medical situations and we’ve had many who have, over the years, gone back-and-forth, who now are not permitted to come in," Albom said.

It’s a heartbreaking reality for these kids but that’s not the only setback some are now facing.

"Kids who have college scholarships - we have several who were scheduled to start in September at two Michigan universities here," Albom said. "They had full four-year scholarships that they worked really hard to earn, not allowed to come."

The Trump Administration issued the ban citing national security concerns.

"I don't think that open borders are any kind of answer for anything," Albom said. "But when you throw a net over an entire country and just say nobody from that country, anybody, no matter where you are on the immigration issue, understands that good people are going to be caught in that net."

Albom has reached out to politicians for help.

"I do think there are lawmakers who would like to see this modified and I'm hoping as time goes on, that maybe there will be some modifications made to it," he said.

Albom has found himself going to Haiti more in recent weeks to make sure that everything is safe.

"I’ll be going back at the end of the month," he said.

What you can do:

If you would like to help support Albom's mission go to THIS LINK.

"A closed door doesn't allow anybody," he said. "A net with some holes in it that are appropriate, maybe allows the people who deserve to be here, and who we will benefit from, to come in."