Pierre Reginald Boulos, a prominent Haitian businessman and former presidential candidate, will remain in U.S. immigration custody after a judge determined he could not be released at this stage of his case. Boulos recently appeared in immigration court at the Krome North Service Processing Center and is scheduled to return for a hearing on August 26, which will address procedural issues, his lawyer Atara Eig said.
Boulos, a lawful permanent resident born in New York who renounced his U.S. citizenship several years ago, was detained on July 17 in Palm Beach County for an immigration violation. He is being held at the Krome detention facility while his legal team plans to appeal the judge’s decision denying his release. Eig noted that the appeal will be filed within 30 days.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has accused Boulos of contributing to the destabilization of Haiti by engaging in violence and supporting armed gangs. The agency claims that his actions could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States” and highlighted his alleged collaboration with Haitian gang leaders connected to the foreign terrorist organization Viv Ansanm. ICE also alleged that Boulos failed to disclose his involvement in forming a political party in Haiti, the Mouvement pour la Transformation et la Valorisation d’Haiti (MTVAyiti), and was referred for allegedly misusing loans, which could constitute immigration fraud.
Boulos appeared in court wearing an orange jumpsuit, with some family members present in the courtroom and others watching online. After safety concerns were raised, Judge Jorge Pereira closed part of the session to online viewers. According to ICE, the investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate.
MTVAyiti, the party founded by Boulos, claims to be inspired by the ideals of Haitian revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines, emphasizing national unity, social justice, sovereignty, and economic rebuilding. ICE emphasized that the U.S. will not allow individuals to enjoy legal status while allegedly facilitating violent organizations or supporting criminal terrorist activity abroad, framing the detention as part of broader national security and regional stability efforts.