Pierre Réginald Boulos Allegedly Collaborated with Gang Leaders, According to FOX News

American network FOX News published a photo of Pierre Réginald Boulos on X, stating:

« ICE arrested Pierre Réginald Boulos, a legal permanent resident of the United States and a citizen of Haiti, for allegedly contributing to the destabilization of Haiti and collaborating with Haitian gang leaders linked to a foreign terrorist organization. »

For its part, the Florida daily Miami Herald confirmed the arrest of powerful Haitian businessman Pierre Réginald Boulos by U.S. immigration services (Immigration and Customs Enforcement – ICE).

According to the newspaper, Mr. Boulos was apprehended at his Palm Beach home on Thursday, July 17, by ICE agents. He was initially held at the Krome North Service Processing Center before being transferred to a federal detention center in Homestead.

ICE did not respond to multiple inquiries from the Miami Herald regarding the nature of the alleged violations against Mr. Boulos or to officially confirm his detention. However, immigration court documents published online Monday indicate that he is summoned to a hearing scheduled for July 31 at 8 a.m., before Immigration Judge Jorge Pereira, at the Krome detention center.

According to available information, Mr. Boulos's arrest is not believed to be linked to a criminal case, although his immigration file is described as « complicated ». A doctor and businessman, Réginald Boulos was born in a New York hospital to Haitian parents of Lebanese origin. He reportedly renounced his American nationality when he considered running for the 2021 presidential election as the head of his party, MTV.

Shortly after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, he left Haiti to settle in Florida, entrusting the management of his businesses — Delimart, El Rancho, and Auto Plaza — to one of his children.

Still according to the Miami Herald, Mr. Boulos reportedly told several close contacts that he held permanent residency in the United States. A source close to the family reportedly stated that U.S. authorities accuse him of not fully disclosing his political activities in Haiti during his efforts to remain in the United States. He reportedly first sought Temporary Protected Status (TPS), then filed an application for permanent residency through one of his children.

While this detention continues to fuel discussions, the U.S. Secretary of State today announced new deportation measures against legal permanent residents suspected of supporting or financing terrorist gangs in Haiti.

Since Donald Trump's assumption of power in January 2025, his administration has tightened its immigration policy and aggressively targeted illegal immigration. Haitians who entered the United States under the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program, as well as those benefiting from Temporary Protected Status, are now threatened with expulsion.