MIAMI, FL – July 29, 2025 – Wealthy Haitian businessman and former presidential aspirant Pierre Réginald Boulos will remain in U.S. custody following a ruling by a federal immigration judge in Miami on Thursday. Boulos, who was arrested earlier this month at his South Florida residence, is accused of supporting violent gangs that have contributed to Haiti’s ongoing instability.
The closed-door hearing took place at the Krome North Service Processing Center, where Judge [Name Withheld] ordered that Boulos not be released. No public explanation was given for the decision, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has yet to make case documents available.
- Advertisement -
ICE alleges Boulos was “engaged in a campaign of violence and gang support that contributed to Haiti’s destabilization,” making him one of the most prominent Haitian nationals arrested under expanded U.S. immigration enforcement efforts targeting individuals linked to foreign criminal networks.
Outside the Krome detention facility, more than a dozen demonstrators gathered in protest, calling for Boulos to be barred from returning to Haiti. Protesters expressed fears that he would not face justice if repatriated.
“If Boulos goes to Haiti, he will not stay in prison. The justice in Haiti are gangs,” read one protester’s sign.
Other placards read, “Send Boulos under the sea” and “Send him to El Salvador or Guantánamo.”
The U.S. Department of State has reportedly determined that Boulos and other lawful permanent residents have “supported and collaborated with Haitian gang leaders connected to Viv Ansanm,” a group designated by U.S. authorities as a foreign terrorist organization.
ICE further alleges that Boulos omitted key information from his U.S. residency application, including his ties to political activities and pending criminal referrals in Haiti related to alleged financial misconduct involving government-issued loans.
Boulos, born in the United States but long considered part of Haiti’s elite class, previously ran a range of businesses, including grocery chains, car dealerships, and media enterprises. He also served as President of Haiti’s National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and became a prominent political voice through the creation of The Third Way Movement in 2019.
At the time, Boulos positioned the movement as a response to entrenched corruption, denouncing “shameless elites and unscrupulous politicians” for worsening Haiti’s socioeconomic crisis.
Though Boulos renounced his U.S. citizenship in anticipation of a presidential campaign, the run never materialized. He later reacquired U.S. residency in 2024 under the Biden administration — a process now under scrutiny by federal authorities.
As of publication, ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have declined to provide further details on the proceedings. Boulos’ legal representation has not issued a public statement, and his supporters argue that he is being unfairly targeted for his political and business stature.
With Haiti gripped by widespread violence, corruption, and the influence of armed groups, Boulos’ case highlights the growing nexus between diaspora influence, foreign residency privileges, and the U.S. government’s evolving stance on international criminal accountability.
