U.S. Immigration Authorities Deport Haitian Pastor Molis Augustave

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported Haitian pastor Molis Augustave to Haiti following his arrest earlier this month. Augustave, who served at the Iglesia de Dios Voz de Alerta, was initially detained on September 4 after a traffic stop in West Manchester Township, Pennsylvania. The township operates under the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement.

Augustave’s case drew significant attention from clergy and community advocates who successfully delayed his initial removal to allow for a review of his residency application. Although his family-based I-130 petition had been approved, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently denied his application for permanent residency without providing a detailed explanation. Advocates from the group We Are CASA criticized the deportation, arguing that the government failed to uphold due process while his legal team was still pursuing an appeal and a habeas corpus petition. Augustave, a husband and father of two, was held at multiple detention facilities in Pennsylvania and Louisiana prior to his removal.