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, the government alleges Bien-Aime “willfully misrepresented his identity and immigration history throughout the naturalization process,” according to documents reviewed by NBC6.
DOJ describes the case as a rare denaturalization action. Prosecutors say Bien-Aime is the same individual 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 U.S. by fraud, using a “photo-switched” passport. The judge ordered him removed to Haiti. Authorities say there is no evidence he ever complied with that order.
Additional reporting from Fox News’ Bill Melugin says DOJ investigators allege Bien-Aime first entered the U.S. using a fraudulent “photo switched” passport under the name Jean Philippe Janiver. He was ordered deported in 2001, appealed, then later withdrew the appeal, claiming he had returned to Haiti. Instead, prosecutors say, he remained in the U.S., adopted the name Philippe Bien-Aime, changed his date of birth, and pursued legal status under the new identity.
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 Haitian spouse. The government accuses him of bigamy, asserting that a Haitian divorce certificate he submitted was “counterfeit and fraudulent.”
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After what DOJ calls “a series of fraudulent statements,” Bien-Aime was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2006, the complaint states.
Federal investigators later uncovered the alleged scheme through a fingerprint analysis comparing records tied to both identities, according to the filing. The review is part of a broader national initiative by DOJ and USCIS 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.
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NBC6 reported that no one answered the door at Bien-Aime’s North Miami home. Reached by phone, he 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 a pending litigation, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
If DOJ succeeds, the case could trigger legal and political fallout tied to Bien-Aime’s tenure 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.
