Pastor Molis Augustave faces imminent deportation to Haiti after immigration officials denied his lawful permanent residence application, as reported by advocacy groups.
Augustave was detained earlier this month following a vehicle stop in Pennsylvania, leaving him separated from his wife Omara Nunez and their two young children. Advocates express concerns that deportation could occur soon.
I am still in immigration detention. I want to go home to my wife and children in Pennsylvania,
said Augustave, in a statement released by the national immigrant advocacy group We Are CASA on Monday.
Initially scheduled for deportation on September 17, he was removed from the flight at the last minute. His Temporary Protected Status, previously held, ended after the Trump administration ceased the program for about 350,000 Haitian nationals in late July. Advocates describe him as a community pillar.
“He has built his life around service to others,” noted American Families United. “What benefit is it to the United States to deny this man his place among us, tearing him from family and community?”
While detained, Augustave continues pastoring amongst the more than 100 individuals there. He describes meeting frightened men, men in tears, and others uncertain of their future.
The deportation plans stalled following an emotional campaign led by his wife, supported by advocates.
People power stopped Molis’ deportation,
stated Ama Frimpong of We Are CASA. Frimpong claims that DHS retaliated by depriving Augustave of a fair process, accelerating mass deportation agendas.
Frimpong pressed United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to reconsider this decision, describing them as partners empowering ICE.
A motion to reopen his removal proceedings, including a habeas petition in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, remains pending. Deportation could occur by Thursday, according to We Are CASA spokeswoman Jossie Flor Sapunar.
Sapunar criticized immigration officials for “fast-tracking” deportation, detaining him far from his family in Louisiana.
What’s the basis for the denial?
Sapunar questioned.
A DHS spokesperson clarified that ICE agents arrested Augustave, characterized as an illegal alien from Haiti,
during a partnership with Pennsylvanian police.
Augustave’s initial detention followed an illegal U.S. entry in 2016 near San Ysidro, California. Although released initially, an immigration judge ordered removal in 2018.
DHS described detention as a choice, advocating the CBP Home App for self-deporting aliens. They encourage utilizing offers of financial compensation and flight arrangements to leave voluntarily and return legally.
If you break the law, you will face the consequences,
warned a DHS spokesperson, highlighting successful operations with local law enforcement yielding 40,000 arrests in Florida and others.
American Families United representatives indicated this scenario is not uncommon.
“This is another example of an immigration system punishing people strengthening communities and treating U.S. citizen spouses and children as collateral damage,”
AFU officials lamented.
Omara Nunez shared personal challenges endured, anticipating her husband’s uncertain future.
Every day I wonder what the future holds,
she stated.
Newsweek’s story involvement by AI assistant Martyn is acknowledged, facilitating editorial contributions by Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas.