Tensions escalated near Haiti’s capital on Monday as clashes between rival armed groups in the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac area spilled dangerously close to Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Gunfire reached the airport’s perimeter, and a stray bullet struck a window inside an administrative building, raising immediate safety concerns. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
In response to the incident, Sunrise Airways, Haiti’s primary domestic and regional carrier, announced the suspension of all flights to and from Port-au-Prince for the remainder of the day. The airline emphasized that the decision was made out of an abundance of cauti
on as the security situation near the airport deteriorated.
“There were gunshots at the airport. Flights are suspended for the day,” said Stéphanie Armand, communications director for Sunrise Airways, in a statement to The Haitian Times. The airline urged affected passengers to reach out directly for assistance, rebooking, and updates, noting that operations would resume only when it was safe to do so.
The incident comes amid ongoing violence in several neighborhoods across Plaine du Cul-de-Sac, including Duvivier, Marin, Fuji, Blancha, Terre Noire, and Sarthe. Rival gangs—some previously aligned under co
alitions such as “Viv Ansanm”—have reignited territorial battles, leaving residents caught in the crossfire.
Reports from the ground indicate that many families have been trapped inside their homes for days due to heavy gunfire. Others have fled on foot through wooded areas, seeking refuge in central parts of the capital, including Champ-de-Mars, before attempting to reach relatively safer zones like Carrefour.
While no casualties were reported in connection with the airport incident, the situation underscores the ongoing vulnerability of critical infrastructure in Haiti to surrounding violence. By mid-afternoon on April 20, operations at the nearby Guy Malary domestic terminal appeared to continue in limited capacity, though concerns remained high.
The suspension of flights was temporary. On Tuesday, April 21, Sunrise Airways confirmed that flights to and from Port-au-Prince had resumed following an improvement in local security conditions. The airline stated it would continue to closely monitor the situation, maintaining that passenger and staff safety remains its top priority.
As instability persists in and around the capital, Monday’s events serve as a stark reminder of how quickly violence can disrupt essential services and daily life across Haiti.
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://www.lunionsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/840991051_18641085889023307_7642861791848397517_n-512x640.jpg)
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/840991051_18641085889023307_7642861791848397517_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=Ib_peifAtiUQ7kNvwGJHbZW&_nc_oc=Adr-rpbwHnP3VgZYy97VHCho6fk_F4a1Do0G8tZ-0N8s_DJ4WUuSikaqZPFNlFQWMhU&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=-Vsk3TbZh7DIsCN4-SRcxQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQJ9p2XBbSqMnf0AXR0d9Uvm60gSl53HC-LO_qqOxS6m1t7m8sJQdDEvxVP8JohFqDXh61TX1lbJ&oh=00_AQMxnGEGYZhDnDeXKLs4ClwHbUwuVSzGACbpBI0x-4H3yA&oe=6ACEEBD8)
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/839766226_18641085904023307_2948675116117924112_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=W3O1OXhJoLUQ7kNvwEVqOkk&_nc_oc=AdpjS_FKcW6_Pzim3oSQZYHOiVKkfwbMNDrWl8LkpCoIR8Di6d1_1OSop-33HuIyAYk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=-Vsk3TbZh7DIsCN4-SRcxQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQLYtfedBwJjA69htShv6ZxSwvIznnvJPHovANhkQXMM039I4cKO8O3y7zBdGhSpOwafqgGW7MyG&oh=00_AQNFkhe78znDNK2hzqcihY5hVqUZbLJPcEJ7jJkLVI9Cow&oe=6ACEFFD8)
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/842191576_18641085880023307_6000724888231376659_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=xtZvFe7RaVYQ7kNvwG4OWwN&_nc_oc=AdovbRSSo7-bJB-h4BjOGp3hCPdXOFQnOzD9Azrpx2vu_gAxIR8ITx7lo-GmhavkZsA&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=-Vsk3TbZh7DIsCN4-SRcxQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKOgMpCwUHshenkfRBIX7h4Y4W-OcbVPfOY4sH82wnHN7g_MI8z8RW6jnTgSVPsKpcMt7pCvS9w&oh=00_AQPfDSpDc4ih_iyaa4QkOosa0PlxWDeLvW9VMTryy0BMnQ&oe=6ACED2F6)
