Florida Welcomes Record Haitian Immigrants as Economy Booms
The U.S. government has introduced a temporary legal pathway for Haitians to enter the country, with Florida and Orlando seeing significant increases in immigration. Meanwhile, immigrants continue to make substantial contributions to Florida's economy.
The Biden administration's decision to end COVID-19 restrictions on asylum and migrants crossing the border through the Darién Gap has led to record-high immigration numbers. Florida, particularly Orlando and Miami, has been significantly impacted. Between May 2023 and January 2025, Florida saw 1,271 migrants arrive per 100,000 residents, with Orlando recording 1,499 and Miami 2,191.
Orlando's immigrant population now includes more Venezuelans, Haitians, and Cubans, with businesses and services catering to these communities springing up across the area. Paola Freites and her husband, who fled violence in Colombia, are among those who settled in Florida due to its warm temperatures, large Latino community, and ease of finding employment and housing. Now living in Apopka near Orlando, Paola works as a housekeeper, and her husband at a plant nursery, seeking freedom and work opportunities.
Immigrants' contributions to Florida's GDP have risen from 24.3% in 2019 to 25.5% in 2023, and their share of the workforce has increased from 26.5% to 27.4% during the same period. However, the state's immigration crackdown under former President Trump caused anxiety among immigrant communities.
The U.S. government's new program offers Haitians a temporary legal pathway to enter the country, with Florida and Orlando experiencing significant immigration surges. Despite challenges, immigrants continue to make substantial economic contributions to Florida, with the state's immigrant population now including more Venezuelans, Haitians, and Cubans.
