21 deportees held in Haitian police custody over suspected gang ties and fake identities to enter U.S.

CAP-HAÏTIEN — Twenty-one Haitian nationals deported from the United States on Feb. 4 remain in custody at the Haitian National Police (PNH) headquarters in Cap-Haïtien. Authorities suspect that some of those who were deported for illegally entering the U.S. might have used fake names to cross into the country, a police source told The Haitian Times on Feb. 5.

A delegation from the Central Directorate of Judicial Police (DCPJ) was scheduled to visit the police station on Feb. 6 to screen the deportees for further investigation but did not show up for unknown reasons. Officials are also probing potential gang affiliations among some of the men, who allegedly crossed into the U.S. through the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a police source who requested to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to talk to the press.

According to a document obtained by The Haitian Times from the police, nine of the 21 deported individuals — all men aged between 23 and 43 — had entered the U.S. illegally. The remaining 12 deportees, all men aged 30 to 54, had lived in the U.S. for a long time and were convicted of various crimes including sexual assault, battery, kidnapping, wire fraud, murder, larceny, lewd behavior and drug trafficking. 

The U.S. authorities initially informed Haiti that the group would comprise 25 people. However, four of them detained for illegal entry were not deported for an undisclosed reason. 

Awaiting their possible release, the deportees were spotted wearing prison uniforms inside a cramped holding cell at the police headquarters.

This deportation flight is the first under U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, marked by his administration’s hardline stance on immigration enforcement.

Trump has vowed to accelerate deportations of undocumented immigrants and those convicted of crimes. His administration also plans to target migrants who entered the U.S. through the I-134A humanitarian parole program, also known as the Biden program, which allowed entry for Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.

Meanwhile, as Haiti braces to welcome its share of deportations, handling returnees to ensure their reintegration into the country without exacerbating the security crisis remains a challenge.

Authorities say they will continue assessing the deportees’ status as part of ongoing security operations.

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