U.S. Moves to Deport Green Card Holders Tied to Haitian Gangs

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that lawful permanent residents with ties to Haitian gangs may now face deportation. The move targets individuals allegedly linked to Viv Ansanm, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization that controls much of Port-au-Prince.

Rubio stated that some green card holders had supported or collaborated with gang leaders affiliated with Viv Ansanm. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security is now authorized to begin deportation proceedings, though no individuals or numbers were specified. The policy aligns with the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda, which has included efforts to revoke visas and green cards from pro-Palestinian student protesters.

"This country will not provide legal benefits to those who support violent or terrorist organizations," Rubio said. Immigration expert Stephen Yale-Loehr noted such measures were rare before the Trump era and said enforcement may be limited due to legal challenges and difficulties in proving affiliations.

The decision comes amid escalating violence in Haiti. Between October 2024 and June 2025, nearly 5,000 people were killed amid gang-related conflict, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. The U.S. continues to deport migrants to Haiti despite U.N. appeals to halt returns due to worsening humanitarian conditions.

The Trump administration has also attempted to strip deportation protections from Haitians in the U.S., though a federal judge recently blocked the termination of Temporary Protected Status for over 500,000 people.

Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif were designated terrorist groups by Washington in May 2025, part of a broader push to curb international criminal networks. The move bans U.S. citizens and businesses from financially engaging with these groups.