Many Tunisians have been trapped in America since the country went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Some are trapped in hotels, often with money and food running out. They are urgently calling for help.

They came as tourists, exchange participants, and students but they now want to come back as soon as possible. As the COVID-19 situation escalated rapidly in the US and doesn’t seem to be slowing down, these Tunisians feel vulnerable and are seeking every opportunity to come back home where they can be safe with their families.

They are sitting on the phone calling airlines and tour operators, on hold for hours or failing to get through at all. They are emailing, phoning and messaging the Tunisian embassy to no avail.

There are more than 150 Tunisians requesting evacuation. Efforts to repatriate them are complicated as the United States is huge and Tunisians stuck there are thinly spread across the various states, making the process expensive and logistically difficult.

What Is the Government Doing to Help?

Foreign minister Noureddine Erray has announced this Wednesday that negotiations are underway with US authorities to evacuate more Tunisians. The possibility to use Tunisian military planes is under consideration, primarily for those on tourist visas.

The minister for transport and logistics has announced repatriation flights for Tunisians around the world, including one to Montréal, Canada on May 2. While this may seem like a viable option, Canadian authorities are not allowing any foreigners to enter the country currently.

Parliamentarian Rabeb Ben Letaief, who is the representative for Tunisians in America, has been actively communicating with the community on the situation and the latest government decisions.

So far, 23 Tunisian exchange participants have been repatriated back to Tunisia by the US State Department. We’ll keep this article updated as the situation unfolds.