More than 100 Haitian nationals with criminal records have been deported from the United States and returned to Haiti, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The agency said Immigration and Customs Enforcement completed the removal flight on July 16. DHS officials described the deportees as individuals convicted of serious crimes, including sexual offenses against children, carjacking, drug trafficking, and fraud.
“Last week, ICE deported pedophiles, carjackers, drug traffickers and perpetrators of fraud to Haiti,” Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement.
Bis added that foreign nationals who commit crimes while living illegally in the United States should not expect to remain in the country.
“Criminal illegal aliens have no place in American communities,” she said. “Our message to illegal aliens is clear: Leave now. If you don’t, we will find you and deport you.”
The flight comes as the Trump administration continues its broader effort to increase deportations and tighten immigration enforcement. Haiti has been one of the more complicated countries involved in that effort because of its severe political instability, widespread gang violence, and ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of Haitians currently live in the United States under Temporary Protected Status, a program that allows people from certain countries affected by war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions to remain and work in the country temporarily.
The administration has sought to limit or end those protections for many Haitians, arguing that temporary programs should not become permanent substitutes for the normal immigration process. Supporters of the policy say people convicted of serious crimes should be removed regardless of the conditions in their home country. Critics argue that deporting people to Haiti could place them in extreme danger because the government has lost control of large parts of the country.
The situation in Haiti remains dire.
Armed gangs control significant territory, especially in and around the capital of Port-au-Prince. They have attacked police stations, blocked roads, burned vehicles, kidnapped civilians, and used social media to threaten communities and recruit children.
Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the United States is supporting international efforts to restore order. He also said more countries should contribute personnel, transportation, and equipment to a U.N.-backed security mission operating in Haiti.
Waltz pointed to a recent attack in which gang members reportedly set fire to an armored police vehicle after it became stuck in a ditch. Haitian officers who fled the vehicle were captured and killed.
“They were flayed alive on the streets,” Waltz said, describing the brutality of the incident. He added that the bodies of the officers were left near the burned vehicle.
“I want everyone to understand the fight ahead,” he said.
Jack Christofides, a special representative connected to the international security force, warned that restoring stability will not be quick or easy.
“The political and humanitarian environment nevertheless remains extremely challenging,” he said. “Armed gangs are likely to adapt their tactics to stay in control.”
The international force needs more than troops. Waltz said heavy equipment, including bulldozers, could be necessary to clear barricades and gain access to neighborhoods controlled by gangs.
The crisis is not only a concern for Haiti. It also has direct consequences for the United States, particularly because of Haiti’s proximity to Florida. Continued instability could lead to more migration, expanded criminal activity, and greater pressure on neighboring countries.
“Haiti’s just a few hundred miles from Florida,” Waltz said. “In that regard, it’s a critical interest to the United States.”
That reality makes the issue more complicated than a single deportation flight. The United States has an interest in removing dangerous offenders from American communities, but it also has an interest in preventing Haiti from collapsing further.
For the Trump administration, the July 16 flight sends a clear message about immigration enforcement: Criminal convictions will make deportation a priority.