Feds seek to strip former North Miami Mayor of U.S. citizenship
The Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization case on Wednesday seeking to revoke the U. S. citizenship of the former north miami mayor, Philippe Bien-Aime, saying he misrepresented his identity and immigration history during his naturalization process.
Complaint says Bien-Aime entered U. S. on a fraudulent passport
The complaint filed in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida alleges Bien-Aime first entered the United States in 1997 using a fraudulent, “photo-switched” passport under the name Jean Philippe Janvier. An immigration judge on July 31, 2000, determined that the entry was fraudulent and ordered removal to Haiti, the complaint states.
The DOJ says Bien-Aime later naturalized in 2006 under the name Philippe Bien-Aime. Department of Homeland Security records, including fingerprint comparisons cited in the complaint, show the person who naturalized as Philippe Bien-Aime is the same individual who was ordered removed under the name Philippe Janvier, federal attorneys write.
North Miami Mayor: elected in 2019, resigned in 2022
Bien-Aime, who is originally from Haiti, was elected mayor of North Miami in 2019 and resigned in 2022 to run for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission, an effort in which he lost. As a former north miami mayor, Bien-Aime’s period in office could face legal and political questions if the government succeeds in revoking his citizenship, since North Miami’s city code requires candidates to be qualified electors and registered U. S. citizens.
Allegations on marriage, residency and paperwork
The complaint also alleges that Bien-Aime married a U. S. citizen and obtained permanent resident status, but federal prosecutors contend that marriage was invalid because he was already married to a Haitian citizen. Prosecutors allege the divorce certificate Bien-Aime presented to immigration authorities was fraudulent.
Bien-Aime’s attorney, Peterson St. Philippe, said the defense is reviewing the complaint and will be responding to the allegations “through the appropriate legal channels. ” St. Philippe added, “As this is a pending litigation, we will not be commenting further at this time. ”
U. S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a news release, “United States citizenship is a privilege grounded in honesty and allegiance to this country. If proven, we will ask the Court to revoke a status that was never lawfully obtained. ”
The complaint names a civil denaturalization suit as the vehicle for the government’s case. Denaturalization is described in the filing as a lengthy, high-bar process that can take years, and any subsequent deportation would take even longer.
The case is pending in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Bien-Aime’s attorneys have said they will respond to the complaint through the court process; the next confirmed step is the government’s pending litigation in federal court.
