WASHINGTON — A group from Michigan that had been trapped in Haiti was rescued overnight Tuesday in an operation coordinated by Florida U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, according to Michigan U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain.

The group of Michigan residents included Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom, who was in Port-au-Prince at an orphanage affiliated with his charity, McClain told The Detroit News.

McClain, a Republican from Bruce Township, disclosed the rescue mission Tuesday during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, saying that she had asked Mills to get involved because there was “no plan” from the U.S. government to get out those who were stranded.

In an interview, McClain confirmed Albom was among the evacuees who fled Haiti, which is facing major civil unrest. Albom could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

Fox News published an article Tuesday about the rescue, showing a photo from Mills’ office with Albom in the group that was evacuated from the island nation in the Caribbean.

McClain said she learned about Albom’s situation Saturday from a constituent. He was in Port-au-Prince for his monthly visit to the orphanage, McClain said.

“I mean, the work he does is really good work,” McClain said of the longtime Detroit newspaper columnist, author and radio host. “But he took 10 individuals down there and they were stuck.”

On Albom’s WJR (760 AM) radio show Tuesday, guest host Steve Courtney said Albom was “unable to join us today, but fingers crossed, that will happen very, very soon.”

“Congressman Mills actually participated in the rescue of those Americans abandoned by the Biden administration and the State Department. So I ask you all: What exactly is the plan to get Americans trapped in Haiti out?” McClain said to the panel, which included U.S. Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson, commander of the Southern Command.

“We don’t have one. Mr. Chairman, this administration doesn’t seem to have a problem with abandoning Americans overseas. This is now the third instance where President Biden and Secretary Blinken have decided that American lives are irrelevant. The first time was Afghanistan, Israel and now Haiti.”

Mills’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Eight of the 10 people extracted in the operation were from Michigan, according to a source familiar with the details.

Mills, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, has previously carried out missions to rescue Americans stuck in Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal and from Israel after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, including a son of U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland.

The rescue comes amid a state of emergency in Haiti after armed gangs waged violence, orchestrated a mass prison break last week and attacked police stations, leading to the suspension of flights from the airport.

The gangs have demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who announced Monday he would step down after a transitional council is set up.

The U.S. military said Sunday it had flown in personnel to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and allow nonessential personnel to leave, the Associated Press reported. The embassy there remains open.

Under questioning by McClain, Richardson said Tuesday that she’d not been contacted or consulted by the White House or the State Department about Americans trapped in Haiti. She said she had received no “request for support” to get them out, but that the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) would carry out such an operation if called upon.

“There possibly were discussions above my level regarding that,” Richardson said of rescuing trapped Americans. “I know that the political negotiations continue in Jamaica, with our Secretary of State and CARICOM (regional trade bloc) leaders to try and get to a political solution on Haiti.”

Richardson described the security situation in Haiti as “dire,” saying they’re tracking about 7,200 gang members from about 300 gangs who have “taken over” this past week to create violence, demanding the prime minister’s resignation, for elections to be held within 90 days and for amnesty for their crimes.

“That was not expected,” she added. ” We had not seen the gangs really work together or coordinate together before.”

Rebecca Zimmerman, the acting assistant secretary of defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, told McClain at the hearing that the Defense Department maintains “prudent planning” for evacuations wherever the U.S. maintains diplomatic personnel. She noted the embassy remains open for now.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday, but spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday that the agency is in contact with “a number of American citizens” in Haiti.

Miller said if U.S. citizens are unable to leave Haiti due to damage at the airport or because commercial carriers have suspended flights, they should register through the State Department’s crisis intake form on the embassy’s website.

“We will communicate with them the best information we have when we have it,” Miller said.
Miller reiterated that the U.S. has had a Level 4 “do not travel” alert for Haiti for more than four years, “making very clear to American citizens that … they should not travel to Haiti, that it is not safe to travel to Haiti.”

— Melissa Nann Burke / The Detroit News  Staff Writer Jakkar Aimery contributed to this story.
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