The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit seeking to revoke the citizenship of former North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, accusing him of providing false information about his identity and immigration history during naturalization. The case was submitted to the Southern District of Florida.
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Court records show Bien-Aime, a Haitian native, entered the U.S. in 1997 as Jean Philippe Janvier using a fraudulent ‘photo-switched’ passport. An immigration judge ruled his entry was fraudulent and ordered his removal to Haiti in 2000. Authorities say he never left, took on a new identity, and married a U.S. citizen to gain permanent resident status. The government alleges the marriage was invalid because he remained married in Haiti and that the divorce certificate he submitted was fake.
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The complaint alleges Bien-Aime made false statements under oath during immigration proceedings, misrepresenting his identity, children, and addresses. DHS fingerprint analysis confirmed that the person who naturalized as Philippe Bien-Aime is the same individual previously ordered removed as Jean Philippe Janvier.
“United States citizenship is a privilege grounded in honesty and allegiance to this country,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones of the Southern District of Florida emphasized. “If proven, we will ask the Court to revoke a status that was never lawfully obtained.”
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Bien-Aime, who became a U.S. citizen in 2006, held the office of North Miami mayor from 2019 until he stepped down in 2022 to pursue a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission, a race he did not win. His attorney, Peterson St. Philippe, observed that the legal team is reviewing the complaint and will respond through the appropriate channels, declining further comment while litigation is pending.
The case highlights potential legal and political questions regarding Bien-Aime’s eligibility to hold public office, as North Miami requires candidates to be U.S. citizens eligible to vote at the time of registration.
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