State Secretary Marco Rubio said the Viv Ansanm gang has fueled instability in Haiti through violence and criminal acts.
The U.S. government will deport lawful permanent residents accused of aiding or collaborating with leaders of Haitian gang Viv Ansanm, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 21.
Viv Ansanm is a coalition of criminal gangs operating in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The coalition was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States on May 2.
In a statement, Rubio said that the group has fueled instability in Haiti through violence and criminal activity and that allowing permanent residents connected to the group to remain in the United States could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the nation.
“The United States will not allow individuals to enjoy the benefits of legal status in our country while they are facilitating the actions of violent organizations or supporting criminal terrorist organizations,” Rubio stated.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can now pursue the deportation of permanent residents who allegedly aided or cooperated with Haitian gang leaders connected to Viv Ansanm, according to his statement.
Rubio did not specify how many individuals would be targeted for deportation.
On the same day as Rubio’s announcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that its agents had arrested Pierre Reginald Boulos, a Haitian national with lawful permanent status in the United States, for allegedly engaging “in a campaign of violence and gang support that contributed to Haiti’s destabilization.”
Boulos failed to disclose his involvement in the formation of a Haitian political party on his application for permanent residency, nor did he disclose his legal case in which the Haitian government referred him for prosecution over alleged misuse of loans, according to ICE.
“The Department of State determined that Boulos’ presence or activities in the United States would have potential serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States, providing a basis for the charge of removability,” the ICE statement added.
