A powerful Haitian political figure with deep ties to both U.S. and Haitian elites has been arrested in South Florida by federal immigration agents.

On July 17, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations arrested Pierre Reginald Boulos, a Haitian national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, alleging that he lied on his immigration application and supported gang activity in Haiti.

On July 27, ICE posted to X:

 

Boulos’s removal case stems from a determination by the U.S. Department of State that his continued presence in the U.S. would pose “serious adverse foreign policy consequences,” according to a corresponding press release from ICE.

Officials allege he contributed to the destabilization of Haiti by supporting violent gangs and that he committed fraud by omitting key facts from his green card application—including his role in forming a Haitian political party and his referral for prosecution by Haiti’s anti-corruption unit.

The Department of Homeland Security stated it is pursuing Boulos’s removal under section 237(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a statute that allows for deportation when a legal resident’s activities are deemed contrary to U.S. foreign policy interests. The ICE press release stated that the arrest was carried out in coordination with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate.

The Trump administration has taken a more aggressive stance on deportations and recently reversed prior policies shielding Haitians from removal.

Boulos’s arrest reverberated throughout the Haitian diaspora and political class, where he has long been a controversial yet influential figure. “Boulos is a highly controversial figure in Haiti, where he long worked as both a medical doctor and businessman while simultaneously wielding considerable influence over national politics,” per the Miami Herald.

Born in New York and trained in medicine in Haiti, Boulos reportedly earned a master’s in public health from Tulane University before becoming one of Haiti’s wealthiest businessmen. He managed Delimart supermarkets and Autoplaza dealerships, and was linked to numerous high-profile government contracts, including the sale of buses and construction equipment under former President Jovenel Moïse.

Boulos renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2021 to pursue the Haitian presidency and was the founder of the Mouvement pour la Transformation et la Valorisation d’Haïti (MTV Ayiti) party.

Boulos’s dealership was reportedly burned down by Viv Ansanm, a gang and terror organization that ICE reportedly told the Miami Herald that Boulos formerly aided, in 2021

State Department officials have not yet released more details of this case or the extent to which Boulos allegedly supported gang activity.

Boulos is currently being held in ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations detention.