By Le Floridien Staff
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified 15 Haitian nationals with criminal records who were among 162 people deported to Haiti on an August 20 removal flight, highlighting convictions involving sexual offenses against minors, violent assaults, drug trafficking, weapons offenses, migrant smuggling and other crimes.
In an August 24 statement, DHS said the 15 individuals were among those removed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the latest deportation flight to Haiti. The department also identified some of them as alleged or documented members of gangs, including Zoe Pound and 88 Crush Mob.
An important legal distinction applies to the individuals highlighted by DHS: they had been placed in removal proceedings and, according to DHS, received final orders of removal from immigration judges. In several cases, those orders came years after the individuals had initially entered the United States legally as lawful permanent residents.
DHS released detailed criminal and immigration histories for 15 of the 162 deportees. The department’s selection of those cases should not be interpreted to mean that everyone aboard the flight had comparable criminal histories.
The following profiles are based on information released by DHS. Where the department listed arrests in addition to convictions, those are identified separately because an arrest does not by itself establish guilt.
The 15 Deportees Highlighted by DHS
Mc Guyverson Jetin — DHS identified Jetin as a member of the Zoe Pound gang. His criminal history includes convictions on four counts of lewd or lascivious battery involving a victim between the ages of 12 and 15, as well as sexual battery. He entered the United States through Florida in June 2006 and obtained lawful permanent resident status in March 2007. An immigration judge issued his final order of removal on June 19, 2018.
Davidson Athis — Identified by DHS as a member of the 88 Crush Mob gang, Athis has a conviction for first-degree assault. DHS also listed arrests for conspiracy to commit assault, second-degree assault, burglary, fraud, drug possession, reckless endangerment, trespassing and disorderly conduct. DHS said he entered the United States illegally at an unknown date and location. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on May 10, 2023.
Modeler Hyppolite — DHS identified Hyppolite as a member of the Zoe Pound gang and reported a conviction for second-degree assault on a pregnant woman. DHS said he entered the United States through the southern border in 2024 and was subsequently released into the country.
Bermann Desty — Desty was convicted of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, according to DHS. The department also listed arrests involving cruelty toward a child, assault, failure to register as a sex offender, probation violation and public-order offenses. He entered the United States through Florida in February 2001 and became a lawful permanent resident. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on July 23, 2026.
Wilbur Senat — Senat’s criminal history includes a conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor, according to DHS, as well as arrests for burglary and larceny. He entered the United States through Florida in March 2006 and became a lawful permanent resident in April 2007. His final removal order was issued on July 22, 2026.
Morel Bain — DHS reported that Bain was convicted of felony exploitation/enticement and had also been arrested for failure to register as a sex offender, obscene communication and public-order offenses. He entered the United States through Texas in September 2024. An immigration judge ordered his removal on January 27, 2026.
Ernst Joachim — Joachim’s criminal history includes a conviction for a sexual offense involving corruption of minors and an arrest for unlawful contact with a minor. DHS said he entered the United States in September 2023 through the Haitian humanitarian parole program. His parole was later terminated. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on April 13, 2026.
Jean Daniel Henry — Henry’s criminal history includes convictions for burglary, larceny, cocaine possession and sale, marijuana possession, possession of narcotics equipment, possession of stolen property, fraud, carrying a concealed weapon, trespassing and destruction of evidence. He entered the United States through Florida in 1982 as a lawful permanent resident. According to DHS, that status was later terminated following his convictions. His final removal order was issued on September 10, 2025.
Elton Petit-Frere — DHS reported that Petit-Frere’s convictions include four counts of assault on a female, resisting a public officer, attempted robbery, robbery with a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, breaking and entering, larceny of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon. The department also listed arrests involving marijuana possession, larceny, breaking or entering a motor vehicle and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Petit-Frere was admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident in 2009. His final removal order was issued on May 14, 2026.
Alberto Derisme — Derisme’s criminal history includes convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of synthetic drugs, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, resisting an officer without violence and obstruction of police. He entered the United States through Florida in April 2008 and became a lawful permanent resident in June 2012. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on July 31, 2026.
Gregory Saintil — DHS reported that Saintil was convicted of possession of cocaine and fentanyl with intent to sell. The department also listed arrests for kidnapping, domestic battery by strangulation and aggravated battery. He was admitted to the United States in August 2010. His final removal order was issued on February 19, 2026.
Sebastien Sainvil — Sainvil was convicted of assault by strangulation and breaking and entering to terrorize, according to DHS. The department said he entered the United States illegally at an unknown date and location. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on June 4, 2026.
Jean Renaud Pascal — Pascal was convicted on 18 counts of alien smuggling for profit, as well as conspiracy to bring inadmissible migrants into the United States. He was admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident in September 2011. His final removal order was issued on November 13, 2024.
Diego Marseille — DHS reported convictions for resisting law enforcement and invasion of privacy. Marseille entered the United States through Texas in September 2021 after crossing the southern border. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on July 29, 2026.
Telifait Telifort — Telifort was convicted of driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, according to DHS. He entered the United States illegally in October 2008 and later received work authorization in March 2010. That authorization expired in July 2019. An immigration judge issued his final removal order on July 20, 2026.
Some Had Lived in the United States for Decades
The immigration histories released by DHS show that the 15 cases were not identical.
Several of those deported had previously held lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a green card. Others entered the country without authorization, while at least one arrived through a humanitarian parole program.
Jean Daniel Henry, for example, had entered the United States as far back as 1982 as a lawful permanent resident. Others, including Jetin, Desty, Senat, Petit-Frere, Derisme and Pascal, also had lawful permanent resident status at some point, according to DHS.
That history underscores an important aspect of U.S. immigration law: lawful permanent residence does not necessarily protect a noncitizen from deportation when certain criminal convictions make that person removable. The individuals highlighted in the DHS release ultimately went through immigration proceedings that resulted in removal orders.
DHS Highlights Criminal Cases as Deportations to Haiti Continue
DHS used particularly strong language in announcing the removals, describing the latest flight as including people it characterized as gang members, drug traffickers, violent offenders and individuals convicted of sex crimes.
The agency’s announcement comes amid a broader expansion of immigration enforcement involving Haitian nationals following the Trump administration’s move to terminate Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status.
However, the government’s decision to spotlight 15 people with serious criminal histories represents only part of the picture surrounding the August 20 flight. DHS said 162 Haitian nationals were deported, while its August 24 public release provided detailed criminal profiles for 15 of them.
For that reason, the criminal histories released by DHS should be understood as profiles of the individuals the department chose to highlight—not as a description of every Haitian national aboard the flight.
What is clear from the DHS records is that the 15 individuals publicly identified had criminal histories that included convictions, and their immigration cases ultimately resulted in removal orders before they were returned to Haiti.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, August 24, 2026.
Read the original DHS announcement
