Influential Haitian Businessman Pierre Reginald Boulos Detained by ICE in Miami Over Immigration Violations and Gang Allegations
MIAMI, FL — Haitian businessman and former presidential hopeful Pierre Reginald Boulos, 69, is being detained in Miami by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on immigration violations, with serious allegations of supporting armed gangs destabilizing Haiti.
Boulos, who previously renounced his U.S. citizenship but has claimed to hold U.S. permanent residency, was arrested Thursday at his Palm Beach home by ICE agents. He was initially held at the Krome North Service Processing Center, and later transferred to a federal detention facility in Homestead, Florida.
Immigration court records confirm Boulos has a hearing scheduled for July 31 before Judge Jorge Pereira at Krome. While ICE initially remained silent, the agency confirmed the arrest late Monday, accusing Boulos of collaborating with Haitian gang coalition Viv Ansanm, designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
According to ICE, Boulos’s alleged involvement with Viv Ansanm includes contributing to violent campaigns, arson, and support for efforts to overthrow the Haitian government. The gang is blamed for over 5,600 deaths in Haiti in 2024 and more than 4,000 in 2025, along with mass kidnappings and rapes.
The case was developed in coordination with the U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service, and the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Authorities say Boulos failed to disclose his role in founding MTV Haiti, a Haitian political party, during his U.S. residency application. He is also under scrutiny in Haiti for alleged financial fraud and misuse of government loans, although he has not been formally charged in either country.
ICE emphasized that his continued presence in the U.S. could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences”, forming a basis for his removal under U.S. immigration law.
The arrest comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to end deportation protections for Haitians in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The administration has warned of additional high-profile actions targeting individuals contributing to Haiti’s destabilization.
