On July 17, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Pierre Réginald Boulos, a prominent Haitian businessman, doctor, and former presidential candidate, at his Miami home. The 68-year-old, a lawful permanent U.S. resident, faces charges of violating the Immigration and Nationality Act by allegedly supporting gang violence in Haiti through ties to Viv Ansanm, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. ICE claims Boulos’s actions contributed to Haiti’s destabilization, posing “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the U.S. He is also accused of failing to disclose his role in founding Haiti’s Third Way Movement in 2019 and a past referral for prosecution by Haiti’s government for misusing loans, which he denies.
Boulos, born in New York but a Haitian citizen after renouncing U.S. citizenship to run for Haiti’s presidency in 2021, regained permanent residency in 2024. His arrest, part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on Haitian immigrants, has sparked controversy. Critics, including Haitian-American congressional candidate Rod Joseph, argue the move unfairly targets legal residents seeking better lives. Boulos is detained at Miami’s Krome North Service Processing Center, which Human Rights Watch has criticized for overcrowding and rights violations. His attorney, Atara Eig, plans to appeal, citing a rarely used regulation for his detention. The case highlights tensions over immigration enforcement as Trump pushes to end protections for Haitians.
