President Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the United States by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries is now in effect.

Haitian and Venezuelan community leaders condemned President Donald Trump’s newly announced travel ban policy that will impact hundreds of thousands of South Florida families with ties to both countries.

South Florida's airports are common gateways for people from Haiti, Venezuela and Cuba to enter the U.S. Each nation has a presence in South Florida.

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, a fellow Republican, urged the Trump administration to reverse its decision. Lawler's 17th District includes Spring Valley, home to the second-largest Haitian diaspora, per capita, in the U.S.

The White House says the 12 countries on the list are "deficient with regards to screening and vetting" and are being targeted to protect U.S. national security.

Sick children, families and businesses are among the many people in Haiti, a country plagued by gang violence, likely to be hit hard by a U.S. travel ban.

Border czar Tom Homan voiced his support for President Donald Trump’s travel ban on 12 countries, which went into effect Monday. The United States has excluded travelers from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad,

"Donald Trump just ripped a life preserver from their desperate arms and tied weights around their ankles," said Reps. Pressley and Clarke.