Wilber Jean-Baptiste Was Never Imprisoned or Escaped: His Family Denies U.S. Immigration Authorities’ Claims
Wilber Jean-Baptiste’s family, following his recent arrest by U.S. immigration authorities, categorically denies reports that he is an escaped prisoner.
“Wilber Jean-Baptiste has never been arrested in Haiti,” a family member states, describing him as “a responsible citizen and a professional with a civil engineering degree from Haiti.”
Like many Haitians seeking a better life for their families, Wilber Jean-Baptiste arrived in the United States through the U.S.-Mexico border using the CBPOne app, implemented by the Biden administration. Once on U.S. soil, he applied for asylum, but his request was denied by immigration authorities, according to a family member. This same source also refutes any criminal accusations against him in the United States.
“He has been falsely accused of committing crimes in the United States. It is claimed that he escaped from a prison in Haiti,” the family member explains, emphasizing that “Wilber Jean-Baptiste entered the United States legally with the approval of the U.S. government via the CBPOne app.”
Wilber Jean-Baptiste’s case is still under review in the United States. He has also applied for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
“As part of this process, he was summoned on February 4, 2025, by immigration and customs authorities, who used the opportunity to arrest him on the grounds that he was an escaped convict sentenced for murder in Haiti,” reports a source close to the case. ICE claims to have obtained this information from the Haitian government—allegations that were also made when he first arrived in the United States in 2023. At the time, his attorney in Texas managed to secure his release, the source adds.
According to records from the Croix-des-Bouquets Civil Prison and the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ), an individual named Wilner Jean-Baptiste was indeed convicted of murder and escaped on February 25, 2021. A report published by the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) also lists Wilner Jean-Baptiste among the escapees from Croix-des-Bouquets Civil Prison. However, his family strongly asserts that he is not the same person.
“The name in the prison records is Wilner Jean-Baptiste, which is entirely different from Wilber Jean-Baptiste,” argues his family.
“We have no connection to this individual. Our Wilber Jean-Baptiste is a civil engineering student at GOC University in Port-au-Prince,” insists a family member. His wife also testifies:
“I have known Wilber for over 25 years. We were classmates before getting married. Wilber has never been arrested in Haiti,” she tells CTN.
Efforts are underway to prove his innocence to both Haitian and U.S. authorities in order to secure his release as soon as possible, the family assures. CTN attempted to contact ICE but has yet to receive a response.
The case has been reported by several U.S. media outlets, including the Boston Herald, which published an article titled:
“ICE Arrests Convicted Haitian Murderer Who Escaped from Prison.”
ICE also posted an arrest notice on its website, featuring Wilber Jean-Baptiste’s photo under the headline:
“ICE Arrests Fugitive Wanted for Homicide After Escaping Prison in Haiti.”
In response to this situation, Wilber Jean-Baptiste’s family is fighting a threefold battle:
1️⃣ Securing his release.
2️⃣ Proving that he is not the fugitive being sought.
3️⃣ Convincing both Haitian and U.S. authorities of the mistaken identity.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-apprehends-fugitive-alien-wanted-homicide-following-prison-escape-haiti
DEA, ICE, Coast Guard arrest illegal immigrants in Nantucket
Correction Policy of CaribbeanTelevisionNetwork
At CaribbeanTelevisionNetwork (CTN), we are committed to ensuring the accuracy and transparency of our publications. We take any claim regarding potential inaccuracies very seriously and strive to respond promptly.
If a reader or individual mentioned in an article believes that information is incorrect, they can request a correction by contacting us at contact@ctninfo.com.
Our editorial team will carefully review the request and assess whether a modification is necessary. Minor factual errors will be corrected in the article, with a footnote indicating the change. For major corrections, we will update the headline or add a correction notice at the top of the article. If new details or information are added after publication, an explanatory note will be included at the end of the article to ensure full transparency.