The deportation flight included Haitian nationals convicted of child sexual abuse, armed carjacking, drug trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes as the Trump administration continues its immigration enforcement campaign.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Le Floridien) – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently deported more than 100 Haitian nationals with criminal convictions to Haiti, describing the operation as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to remove non-citizens convicted of serious crimes from the United States. According to DHS, the deportation flight departed on July 16 and included individuals convicted of offenses ranging from child sexual abuse and armed carjacking to drug trafficking and domestic violence.
In its announcement, DHS emphasized that those removed had been convicted of serious crimes committed in the United States. Among the individuals highlighted were people convicted of child molestation, lewd acts involving minors, armed carjacking, narcotics trafficking, domestic violence, false imprisonment, and fraud-related offenses. The agency said the operation reflects its continued focus on removing criminal offenders rather than allowing them to remain in American communities.
Nine Individuals Identified by DHS
To illustrate the types of offenders included on the July 16 deportation flight, DHS publicly identified nine Haitian nationals and the crimes for which they had been convicted in the United States. According to the agency, the group included Styv Charles, convicted of child molestation; Timothe Matel, convicted of lewd or lascivious acts involving a child under the age of 12; Marc James Guerrier Pinard, convicted of armed carjacking; Fito Almanor, convicted of domestic violence and false imprisonment; Franck Descollines, convicted of felony hit-and-run; Valry Isaac Exantus, convicted of fleeing law enforcement, narcotics possession, and domestic violence; Markendy Henry, convicted of selling narcotics, carrying a concealed weapon, selling marijuana, selling heroin, and drug trafficking; Jacksonn Louinord, convicted of fraud; and Wadson Chery, convicted of resisting a law enforcement officer. DHS said these cases underscore the administration’s focus on removing non-citizens convicted of serious criminal offenses from the United States.
Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the administration’s position is clear.
“Last week, ICE deported pedophiles, carjackers, drug traffickers, and perpetrators of fraud to Haiti. Criminal illegal aliens have no place in American communities.”
The statement reflects the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which has prioritized the arrest and removal of non-citizens with criminal convictions while encouraging those without legal status to voluntarily leave the country before becoming the subject of enforcement actions.
Part of a Broader Immigration Strategy
The deportation comes just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians while legal challenges continue. The administration has argued that TPS was intended to provide temporary humanitarian protection and should not become a permanent immigration status.
Although the DHS announcement specifically concerns individuals with criminal convictions, immigration attorneys note that the removal flight is also a visible reminder of the administration’s broader commitment to expanding immigration enforcement. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has repeatedly pledged to accelerate deportations of individuals who are in the country unlawfully, particularly those convicted of violent or serious crimes.
A Message to the Haitian Community
For South Florida’s Haitian community, the DHS announcement is likely to draw significant attention because it coincides with the end of TPS protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians. While the deportation flight involved individuals with criminal records—not the broader Haitian immigrant population—it underscores the administration’s emphasis on enforcing immigration laws against non-citizens convicted of serious offenses.
Community leaders have consistently urged Haitian immigrants to distinguish between immigration status and criminal conduct. They encourage individuals eligible for legal relief to consult qualified immigration attorneys, comply with immigration requirements, and avoid relying on misinformation circulating on social media.
What Comes Next
The Trump administration has indicated that deportation operations targeting individuals with criminal convictions will continue as part of its immigration enforcement agenda. At the same time, legal battles over Haiti’s TPS designation and other immigration policies remain active in federal courts, meaning the broader immigration landscape for many Haitian families continues to evolve.
For Haitian Americans, the latest deportation flight highlights two parallel realities: the government’s continued focus on removing non-citizens convicted of serious crimes and the ongoing legal uncertainty surrounding broader immigration protections that affect hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Haitian immigrants living and working in the United States.
