Rony Dieujuste, a Haitian immigrant and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holder, was arrested on May 30 in Palm Beach County, Florida, following a DUI stop after attending a family member’s graduation party. Since that night, Dieujuste’s whereabouts have become a painful mystery for his loved ones. Detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), he has effectively vanished from the public record, leaving his partner and two young children
in distress.
According to his partner, Kléya Rice, a registered nurse and mother of their 10-month-old son and 23-month-old daughter, Dieujuste was initially held at an undisclosed detention center in Miami. She reports that he was shackled alongside other nonwhite, non-English-speaking men and transported—possibly via a Southwest Airlines flight—to a facility in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 8.
Attempts by Dieujuste’s immigration attorney to visit him have been repeatedly thwarted by last-minute relocations. Before any scheduled meetings could take place, Dieujuste was transferred again, further complicating legal efforts and cutting off contact.
Rice says her partner’s health has declined in custody. He has complained of frequent nosebleeds, poor air quality, and inadequate medical care—issues echoed by other detainees. He also reported being served stale bread and other substandard meals. Spanish-speaking detainees shared similar health complaints, suggesting that environmental conditions within the detention centers may be widespread and systemic.
Efforts to locate Dieujuste using ICE’s online detainee locator system have yielded no results. The system requires an alien re
gistration number, which is not publicly accessible, leaving Rice and her family desperate for answers. The lack of transparency and communication has only deepened their fear and anxiety.
Both of Dieujuste’s parents are also in active deportation proceedings, adding yet another layer of stress and instability for the family. Rice has taken on the full burden of caregiving while also fighting to locate and advocate for her partner, often answering calls from unknown
numbers in hopes of hearing from him. Lately, the calls have come without the usual automated message identifying the caller’s location, making the situation even more confusing.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a key advocacy organization for Haitian and Black immigrants, has condemned ICE’s lack of transparency and the disproportionate treatment faced by
nonwhite immigrants in detention. The organization has called on the public and policymakers to demand accountability and humane treatment for those in ICE custody.
As the days pass, Dieujuste’s family is left with mounting questions, growing fears, and a system that offers little clarity or compassion.
