Connect with us

North Carolina

Triangle residents brace for impact of travel ban: 'What's the next step?'

Published

on

Triangle residents brace for impact of travel ban: 'What's the next step?'


RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — As the latest travel ban from the Trump administration nears its effective date, ABC11 is hearing from residents with ties to the impacted countries about what it all means.

Haiti is one of the 12 countries whose citizens will be banned from traveling into the United States starting at 12:01 am on Monday, with certain limited exceptions. That ban does not have an end date, and both Haitian Americans in the Triangle and Haitian citizens with ties in North Carolina say they’re concerned about the long-term implications.

“If my parents were banned, there would be no Dominique. So it’s just, it’s a hard realization,” said Dominique Alphonse-Sainvil, a first-generation Haitian American whose parents immigrated to the US in the 1960s.

Alphonse-Sainvil was born and raised in the US, but her ties to her parents’ — and husband’s — home country run deep.

Advertisement

“Being first generation Haitian, you do understand the shoulders that you stand on,” she said.

The North Raleigh resident now helps to run the Carolina Haitian Women’s Society, a Triangle-based organization with chapters across the state. She said the fallout from Haiti’s inclusion in the White House’s most recent travel ban has been difficult to process.

“What’s the next step?” she asked. “Because that’s all both those that are here and those that have loved ones in Haiti are truly trying to grasp.”

It’s also creating new challenges for Haitians involved in philanthropic efforts, like Pastor Jean Alix Paul.

“They sent me some news and told me, ‘Hey, you will not be able to come’. And I was very shocked. So, I mean, I didn’t, you know, I never expected that to happen,” Paul said, recounting a recent, planned trip to the US he had to cancel.

Advertisement

ALSO SEE North Carolina families ‘extremely worried’ over Trump Administration’s new travel ban

Paul regularly visits Raleigh through his church’s affiliation with Raleigh’s Hope Community Church. The pastor also helps run Together 4 Haiti, a non-profit that aims to support Haiti’s kids through education. He says he’s unsure how their work will continue in light of the travel ban.

“We have more than 200 people working for our organization, so now we don’t know how long that will impact us, and if we will continue to be able to help our people. It will be very, very hard,” he said.

Paul added that amid gang violence and domestic instability in his home country, it’s been nearly impossible to get answers in Haiti.

“Where the US embassy is located, actually, there is a gang right there,” he said. “So, it’s not very easy to go through.”

Advertisement

According to the White House, the ban — which impacts 19 countries in total — is to “protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.”

Alphonse-Sainvil said the people impacted are much more than that.

“I know we have plenty to contribute both from here and those that are there,” she said. “But you can’t help but not be just completely, as we call it, ‘desolate’”.

Copyright © 2025 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



Source link

Advertisement

North Carolina

NC to receive nearly $70M in FEMA funds, Madsion County manager says $14M hasn’t arrived

Published

on

NC to receive nearly M in FEMA funds, Madsion County manager says M hasn’t arrived


Senator Tedd Budd’s office announced nearly $70 million in public assistance FEMA funds for Helene recovery toward the North Carolina Department of Transportation, cities and counties.

Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt created a color-coded spreadsheet of projects, both paid and unpaid. Honeycutt said he sends the spreadsheet to federal leaders’ offices, including Budd’s, regularly to ensure staff are aware of what’s not reimbursed.

Honeycutt estimates about $14 million in reimbursements from FEMA haven’t come through.

As for the $1.9 million just approved for Madison County’s emergency protective measures, including laborers, equipment reimbursement, Honeycutt said the county doesn’t have it yet.

Advertisement

NORTH CAROLINA TO RECEIVE $70M IN ADDITIONAL FEMA FUNDING AS NOEM FACES CRITICISM

“It’s coming back to our fund balance,” said Honeycutt. “And we know it will take six more weeks for it to get through the state and to the county.”

Honeycutt estimates that within six months, FEMA will resolve all reimbursements. He said debris removal jobs along the French Broad River have been delayed as FEMA continues to review the applications.

MARCH 5, 2026 – Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt created a color-coded spreadsheet of projects, both paid and unpaid. Honeycutt said he sends the spreadsheet to federal leaders’ offices, including Budd’s, regularly to ensure staff are aware of what’s not reimbursed. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

In Marshall, the town has leased store spaces on Main Street, along with signs advertising leasing available. But longtime resident, artist and business owner Josh Copus is optimistic that Marshall and its community will thrive once again. He acknowledged that FEMA funds and reimbursements to clean up have been an important part of the area’s recovery.

MORE THAN $3.5M HEADED TO BURKE COUNTY FOR CONTINUED HELENE RECOVERY

Advertisement

“I would say our town is 50% fixed and our town was 100% destroyed, so 50% is pretty good,” Copus said.

The awards include:

  • Biltmore Forest: $2.5 million for debris removal reimbursement.
  • Buncombe County Sewage District: $1.57 million reimbursement for line repairs, vacuuming, line replacements and riverbank restoration.
  • Old Fort: $1.15 million Westerman Street Waterline for potable water reimbursement.
  • Mitchell County: $11.9 million for debris contractors, tipping fees and debris monitoring reimbursement.
  • Buncombe County: $3.5 million toward labor costs for 836 laborers during and after Helene reimbursement.
  • Asheville: $5.6 million for North Fork Treatment Plant repairs reimbursement.
  • Lake Lure: $1.48 million for lake safety repairs reimbursement.
  • Madison County: $1.9 million for emergency protective measures, including laborers, equipment reimbursement.



Source link

Continue Reading

North Carolina

2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers

Published

on

2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers


Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:

BERTIE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

Advertisement

31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)

CARTERET COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)

CRAVEN COUNTY

Advertisement

Ballots Cast:

18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)

DUPLIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)

Advertisement

EDGECOMBE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)

GREENE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

Advertisement

19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)

HYDE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)

JONES COUNTY

Advertisement

Ballots Cast:

25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)

LENOIR COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)

Advertisement

MARTIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)

ONSLOW COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

Advertisement

11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)

PAMLICO COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)

PITT COUNTY

Advertisement

Ballots Cast:

15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)

TYRRELL COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

30.49% (723 out of 2,371)

Advertisement

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)

WAYNE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

Advertisement

21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)



Source link

Continue Reading

North Carolina

Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety

Published

on

Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety


Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM

NC schools and businesses encouraged to practice tornado safety

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.

The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.

Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.

Advertisement

SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend

Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo

Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending