Haitian businessman Réginald Boulos arrested in Florida

Florida.- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested prominent Haitian businessman Réginald Boulos at his residence in Palm Beach, Florida, last Friday for alleged immigration violations. The 69-year-old entrepreneur is currently being held at a detention facility, although his name has not yet appeared on ICE’s public detainee list, reportedly due to delays caused by a surge in nationwide arrests.

Court records show Boulos is scheduled for a hearing on July 31 at the Krome Detention Center in Florida. His arrest comes shortly after the U.S. State Department announced measures against legal U.S. residents suspected of supporting Haitian gangs, particularly those tied to “Viv Ansanm”—a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. While the Department has not publicly named individuals, it stated that these actions include deportation proceedings against those proven to have collaborated with gang leaders.

Boulos, founder of the RBoulos Group and an influential political figure in Haiti, has long drawn controversy for his involvement in the country’s affairs. In 2021, he was floated as a potential presidential candidate following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, though elections were postponed due to ongoing instability. His arrest also unfolds amid legal tensions over the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Haitians in the U.S.—with the Biden administration extending protections through 2026, despite efforts by the Trump administration to end them early.