Washington is testing in the Dominican Republic a mechanism allowing it to require a financial guarantee from certain immigration applicants who may be likely to depend on public assistance. The measure is official, but the widely reported ceiling of $250,000 remains to be confirmed. For Haitians, no extension has been announced at this stage.

A bond of up to $250,000 to obtain a U.S. immigrant visa? The announcement, widely reported in the Dominican Republic, is also raising questions in Haiti, where many families are involved in family reunification procedures. The reality, however, is more nuanced.