Haiti immigration chief arrested in passport probe

Investigation: senior officials detained over suspected passport fraud

The director of the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration (DIE), Antoine Jean Simon Fénélon, was arrested on March 23, 2026, during an operation carried out by the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) at the institution’s headquarters in Musseau, Port-au-Prince.

Several key officials were also detained, including Jean Osselin Lambert, head of the IT and communications department, and Jocelyn Azor, responsible for document production. Additional staff from the security verification unit were reportedly taken into custody.

According to sources close to the case, the arrests are part of an investigation into the issuance of passports suspected of containing irregularities.

Allegations: data manipulation and procedural breaches under scrutiny

Investigators are examining potential falsification of data, circumvention of security verification procedures and the issuance of passports to individuals who may not have met legal requirements.

The involvement of officials from both the production chain and IT systems suggests the probe could focus on the entire passport issuance process—from data entry to the final delivery of official documents.

During the operation, the director’s office was sealed, a measure typically used to preserve physical and digital evidence in ongoing judicial investigations.

Legal process: suspects transferred to prosecutor’s office

Following their arrest, the individuals were taken to the prosecutor’s office in Port-au-Prince for questioning. They remain in custody as part of the ongoing judicial process.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details on the scope of the investigation, which is expected to continue in the coming days.

Ronald André.