1. United States
2. Hawaii
3. Letter

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed travel and immigration restrictions affecting nationals of Tonga. I live and work in Hawaiʻi, where Tongans are not an abstract population but a deeply rooted and essential part of our community. I care for Tongan pediatric patients, worship alongside Tongan families in my church, and see daily the contributions they make to our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Many families here span multiple generations and multiple countries, with close relatives traveling back and forth for education, caregiving, medical needs, and family reunification. Policies that restrict entry or complicate visa access for Tongans will not simply “tighten borders” in the abstract. They will sow confusion, fear, and hardship among families who are already woven into the social fabric of Hawaiʻi. Parents will worry about their children. Children will worry about their parents and grandparents. Patients will delay care. Families will struggle to plan for weddings, funerals, caregiving, and emergencies, unsure of who will be able to travel and who will not. From my professional vantage point, I am particularly concerned about the impact on children. Pediatric care depends on family stability, continuity, and trust. Policies that disrupt family unity or create uncertainty around travel and immigration status undermine that stability and have real downstream effects on children’s health, development, and emotional well-being. I also worry about the broader message such restrictions send. Tonga is a close partner to the United States and to Hawaiʻi in particular. Singling out small Pacific nations for additional scrutiny risks reinforcing the perception that entire communities are suspect rather than valued neighbors and contributors. I respectfully urge you to oppose or reconsider any travel or immigration restrictions that disproportionately affect Tongan families and Pacific Islander communities. At a minimum, I ask that policymakers fully consider the humanitarian, family, and community impacts of these measures and provide clear guidance, broad exemptions, and meaningful avenues for review. Thank you for taking the time to consider this perspective. I hope you will stand with the families, children, and communities who will be directly affected by this policy.