Former North Miami mayor Philippe Bien-Aimé is facing accusations from the Department of Justice for allegedly lying about his identity and immigration history to secure U.S. citizenship.
Bien-Aimé, who was elected in 2019, resigned in 2022 while attempting to win a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission.
The complaint states that he fraudulently gained citizenship by using a false identity, making misleading statements, and entering into a fake marriage to avoid a valid deportation order.
The legal action was initiated on February 18th, with prosecutors claiming that Bien-Aimé intentionally misrepresented crucial information during the naturalization process.
Court records indicate that Bien-Aimé, previously known as Philippe Janvier, had been subject to a deportation order after an immigration judge concluded in 2000 that he entered the U.S. using a fraudulent photo passport. Following this ruling, he was ordered to return to Haiti.
The Justice Department noted that in 2001, he was ordered to be removed under the name Janvier, but after appealing that decision, he withdrew the appeal, claiming he would return to Haiti—though he stayed in the U.S. instead. He later married a U.S. citizen under a different name and became a permanent resident.
The authorities argue that this marriage was fraudulent since he was still legally married to a Haitian woman.
According to the Justice Department, Bien-Aimé was naturalized in 2006 after providing a series of false and misleading statements throughout the naturalization process.
If the denaturalization lawsuit is successful, it could bring into question his time in office.
Bien-Aimé’s attorney stated that they prefer to resolve these allegations through the judicial system rather than in public discussions and believe that existing reports indicate that the situation is still unresolved.
North Miami’s current mayor, Alix Desulmes, asserted that he and his team were not aware of the accusations against Bien-Aimé.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason A. Redding Quiñones, emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, especially given Bien-Aimé’s former position of public trust, which requires honesty and adherence to the law.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate declared that the administration will not accept immigration fraud, stressing that such violations undermine the integrity of U.S. citizenship.
