DOJ Files Denaturalization Case Against Former North Miami Mayor
Federal authorities have filed a civil complaint seeking to revoke the U.S. citizenship of former North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, accusing him of lying about his identity and immigration history to obtain naturalization.
In a 13-page complaint filed by the Department of Justice, prosecutors allege Bien-Aime “willfully misrepresented his identity and immigration history throughout the naturalization process,” according to court documents reviewed by NBC6.
The DOJ described the case as a rare denaturalization action. Prosecutors say Bien-Aime is the same individual who was previously ordered removed from the United States under a different name.
According to court records, Department of Homeland Security data, including fingerprint comparisons, indicate that the man who became a U.S. citizen as Philippe Bien-Aime is the same person once known as Philippe Janvier.
The complaint states that on July 31, 2000, an immigration judge ruled that Janvier entered the United States by fraud using a “photo-switched” passport and ordered him removed to Haiti.
Authorities say there is no evidence he ever complied with that removal order.
Additional reporting from Fox News’ Bill Melugin states that investigators allege Bien-Aime first entered the United States using a fraudulent “photo-switched” passport under the name Jean Philippe Janiver.
He was ordered deported in 2001, appealed the decision, and later withdrew the appeal, claiming he had returned to Haiti.
Instead, prosecutors allege, he remained in the United States, adopted the name Philippe Bien-Aime, changed his date of birth, and pursued legal status under the new identity.
The DOJ further alleges Bien-Aime obtained permanent residency through marriage fraud.
Prosecutors claim he married a U.S. citizen while still legally married to a spouse in Haiti.
The government alleges that a Haitian divorce certificate he submitted was “counterfeit and fraudulent.”
After what prosecutors describe as “a series of fraudulent statements,” Bien-Aime was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2006.
Federal investigators later uncovered the alleged scheme through fingerprint analysis comparing records tied to both identities.
The review is part of what officials describe as a broader national initiative by DOJ and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services aimed at identifying fraud in the naturalization system.
Bien-Aime, who was elected mayor of North Miami in 2019, most recently ran unsuccessfully for the Miami-Dade County Commission.
NBC6 reported that no one answered the door at his North Miami home.
Reached by phone, Bien-Aime declined to comment.
His attorney, Peterson St. Philippe, said, “We are aware of the government’s filing and are in the process of reviewing it. We intend to respond through the appropriate legal channels. As this is pending litigation, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
If the DOJ prevails, the case could trigger legal and political consequences tied to Bien-Aime’s time in office.
North Miami’s city code requires candidates to be qualified electors, meaning U.S. citizens eligible to vote and properly registered. U.S. citizenship is a prerequisite for voter registration.
Stanton Defeats Democratic Socialist Challenger In Arizona Primary
One of the Democratic Party’s most closely watched primary battles has ended with a decisive victory for an incumbent congressman, despite an aggressive challenge from the party’s progressive wing.
The race had drawn national attention as another test of whether candidates running on an anti-Israel platform could unseat more established Democrats.
Rep. Greg Stanton easily defeated democratic socialist challenger Kai Newkirk in Arizona’s Democratic primary Tuesday, securing the nomination for another term in Congress with a commanding margin.
With nearly all votes counted, Stanton received about 68.1% of the vote compared with Newkirk’s 31.9%, according to multiple media outlets.
The victory sends Stanton, a former Phoenix mayor first elected to Congress in 2018, into November’s general election, where he is expected to face Republican Zuhdi Jasser.
Following the race, Stanton described the outcome as a choice about the future direction of the Democratic Party.
“This campaign presented voters with a real choice about how Democrats should lead,” Stanton said in a statement posted to his campaign page.
“Tonight, the voters chose proven leadership that fights back, delivers real results, and brings our party together.”
Throughout the campaign, Newkirk attempted to make U.S. support for Israel the defining issue in the race.
He repeatedly criticized Stanton for receiving support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, commonly known as AIPAC, and accused the organization of wielding too much influence in American politics.
Newkirk also pointed to a multimillion-dollar public messaging campaign promoting Israel as evidence of what he characterized as outside influence in U.S. elections.
Among his policy positions, Newkirk called for ending U.S. military aid to Israel and imposing an arms embargo on the country.
He also sharply criticized Stanton after the congressman voted against an amendment offered by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would have reduced military assistance to Israel.
“Greg Stanton has taken over $300K from AIPAC,” Newkirk wrote during the campaign.
Stanton defended his vote, arguing that reducing military assistance would weaken America’s ability to counter threats from Iran while also acknowledging that changes in Israeli leadership and policy would be necessary as the current U.S.-Israel security agreement approaches its 2028 expiration.
Although Stanton has supported continued military assistance to Israel, he has also publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on multiple occasions.
Newkirk received endorsements from several progressive organizations, including Our Revolution, Progressive Democrats of America and Track AIPAC.
He was also endorsed by The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur.
However, his campaign faced setbacks in its closing weeks.
Earlier this month, the Young Democrats of Arizona withdrew their endorsement, saying they had become aware of “concerning patterns of behavior.”
The organization did not publicly provide additional details.
Newkirk denied any wrongdoing and argued the move was part of a political smear campaign.
Despite his sharp criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Newkirk also condemned antisemitism and spoke out after two Israeli Embassy employees were killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington last year.
“I stand always with my beloved Jewish siblings against the scourge of antisemitism just as I will never stop in the nonviolent struggle to end the genocide in Gaza, release all hostages, and open the way to just, lasting peace,” he said at the time.
The Arizona contest was closely watched because it reflected broader debates inside the Democratic Party over Israel, foreign policy and the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates.
While several progressive candidates have won Democratic primaries around the country in recent years, Stanton’s decisive victory suggests that message did not resonate with enough Democratic primary voters in Arizona’s 4th Congressional District, Trending Politics reported.
With the primary now decided, Stanton will turn his attention to the general election as Democrats seek to defend the seat in November, while Republicans hope to capitalize on continued ideological divisions within the Democratic Party.
