Good news for New York’s Haitian community.
Alan Junior Pierre, a 20-year-old Haitian student at Spring Valley High School, was released on Wednesday morning, July 9, 2025, after spending more than a month in detention in Newark, according to the Rockland Journal News.
His arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while legally residing in the United States, had caused an uproar in New York State’s Haitian community.
The announcement of his release was made by his attorney, Mr. Vince Sykes, who stated that the young man was able to call his father at 10:30 AM to pick him up from the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey.
According to the attorney, Republican Representative Mike Lawler, who represents New York State’s 17th district with its significant Haitian population, had contacted the family the previous day to confirm he was actively working to secure Alan’s release.
“I am grateful to the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem for their cooperation in releasing Alan Junior Pierre, pending the decision on his parole application,” Mike Lawler said in a statement quoted by the Rockland Journal News.
Senator Chuck Schumer also supported the request, personally advocating with immigration authorities multiple times.
“I am relieved that Alan is back with his family in Rockland. His detention has deeply shaken the Haitian-American community in Spring Valley,” Senator Schumer said in a statement reported by USA Today Network.
Alan Junior Pierre had legally entered the United States in January 2025 after receiving special parole authorization at the Mexico-U.S. border, intending to join his father, Dutan Pierre, an American citizen residing in Nanuet, Rockland County. Alan had fled Haiti due to gang violence, state collapse, and humanitarian chaos.
Despite his legal status, he was arrested on June 3 during a routine appointment at the USCIS Application Support Center in the Bronx. Without further explanation, he was transferred to the Delaney Hall detention center, notorious for its harsh conditions.
In early July, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that Pierre was considered to be in irregular status and subject to deportation proceedings, as reported by Nancy Cutler in USA Today Network.
“The system has become inhumane. This young man had the right to be here. His future was simply stolen from him,” denounced a community member quoted by the media.
Faced with authorities’ inaction, Attorney Sykes turned to political representatives. Mike Lawler’s team stated on July 7 that they were actively working with the family. Lawler himself “became personally involved with the concerned parties to achieve a favorable outcome,” according to his spokesperson quoted in the Rockland Journal News.
The following day, the attorney received a call from the congressman informing him that a release was being processed.
“The situation in Haiti remains disastrous, and I will continue to advocate for Haitians to obtain asylum or benefit from the parole program in accordance with the law,” Lawler continued.
Although Alan is free, his legal situation remains unstable. His father has initiated an I-130 petition, seeking to obtain a green card for his son through family reunification.
Additionally, Alan could qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) if he manages to submit his application before turning 21 in January 2026. However, all these legal processes were halted during his detention period.
“While he was in the detention center, it was impossible for us to file the case,” his attorney explained to lohud / USA Today Network.
This case highlights the growing tensions surrounding immigration policies implemented under the Trump administration, particularly targeting Haitians who arrived during the previous presidency. Rockland County, specifically the village of Spring Valley, is home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the northeastern United States.
The 20-year-old had been living in Nanuet with his father, a U.S. citizen. He was admitted to the United States under the humanitarian parole program, an exceptional procedure allowing certain foreign nationals to enter temporarily for urgent reasons. His status was supposed to remain valid until January 2026. Nevertheless, he was arrested by ICE on June 4 after an administrative appointment in New York.
When questioned a few days ago, Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson, stated that Pierre was an “illegal alien” who had been “released by the Biden administration” before being apprehended by authorities. She confirms he is currently subject to removal proceedings.
“We are offering illegal aliens a free flight and a bonus to return home,” McLaughlin told the Journal News. “Otherwise, they will be arrested and deported with no possibility of return,” she added.
Alan’s return to his family has been celebrated as a victory for the community. However, legal uncertainties and deportation threats continue to weigh heavily on thousands of other young Haitians in similar situations.
Article based on reporting by Nancy Cutler for the Rockland/Westchester Journal News, a USA Today Network member, published July 9, 2025.
