Haitian Fam, we’re going to the NBA Finals — on both sides! For the first time in NBA history, two Haitian-Canadian athletes are set to face off in the championship series: Luguentz Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers. This moment isn’t just about basketball — it’s about Haitian excellence taking center stage on the sport’s biggest platform.
The Indiana Pacers are heading to their first NBA Finals since 2000, and 22-year-old Bennedict Mathurin has been a force behind their run. Born in Montreal to Haitian parents, Mathurin has electrified the 2025 NBA Playoffs with fearless energy, clutch scoring, and pride for his roots. On May 31, the Pacers clinched their Finals spot with a 125–108 Game 6 win over the New York Knicks. Mathurin was pivotal throughout the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 4, he exploded for 20 points in just 12 minutes off the bench, shooting 5-for-8 and 10-for-11 from the free-throw line. In Game 5, despite the loss, he led Indiana with 23 points and 8 rebounds. In Game 6, his energy and hustle alongside Obi Toppin’s 18 points helped secure the series 4-2.
After missing last year’s playoffs due to a shoulder injury, Mathurin’s comeback this season has been nothing short of inspiring. Averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, he’s proven why he was the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Mathurin’s path is as powerful as his game. He became the first Canadian to attend the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City, broke barriers at the University of Arizona, and now shines as a multilingual global talent — fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. His Haitian roots run deep, and he honors them proudly, both on and off the court. Beyond basketball, he uplifts his community with Thanksgiving turkey drives in Indianapolis and continues to be a role model for young Haitians everywhere.
The Finals tip off on June 5, and with Luguentz Dort also representing Haiti on the opposing side, this historic matchup guarantees that a Haitian-Canadian player will be crowned NBA Champion. No matter the outcome, this is a win for Haiti — for our culture, our diaspora, and our future in sports. Let’s show up and celebrate our champions. The world is watching, and Haiti is shining.
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://www.lunionsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/840991051_18641085889023307_7642861791848397517_n-512x640.jpg)
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/840991051_18641085889023307_7642861791848397517_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=70T7ckHhF9wQ7kNvwFqmM5X&_nc_oc=AdrfzHi0RxaXzySEibBtd028-9N9V5wILDrPU5dNmfPcfGB4w5QkXFs2itzQg4O2-y0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=fW7OUxlv-Gt1tPXmKB9Rfw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKlKXNG3NsFoaAvXKgwfVfrZE_jddhtMOPh6m3oNCc-NYzOU9UiHhc2HDuNwQN6XB_2mpaS3535&oh=00_AQPDIoXTwrsAWAPaG_U7XwW1nbLxBzoGjc_Z1QCi2IbXyg&oe=6AD1C718)
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/839766226_18641085904023307_2948675116117924112_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=EIPPc5Ck2PAQ7kNvwEnR75G&_nc_oc=Adq6yRBvqDfgp2RRFmiLUNWocTWBYd_9XPVPSZyIYFU3CfJBA1I32Jpm2Q9vIRXne_k&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=fW7OUxlv-Gt1tPXmKB9Rfw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIl4p6yfR3zc6OhUgBAb3RzQoGGX21BYXRH5AH3r1B9_XjohLN217azAK_zP6mbTHnk3I_hf7Jx&oh=00_AQOeb9kx6Cft1Gh1YK1f1cv_eDB-zxdbi1NZDVR5erwStw&oe=6AD1A2D8)
![Republican senators are warning that President Trump has fumbled immigration, an issue that helped GOP candidates in 2024 and is now becoming a political liability as the party defends its Senate majority.
Several GOP senators told The Hill that the administration’s mass-deportation campaign has been too aggressive, overshadowing what they describe as a major border-security win: illegal crossings down more than 90 percent since former President Biden left office. They say the enforcement is costing Republicans support among suburban and Hispanic voters weeks before the midterms.
“Once you start deporting people who have otherwise been here without incident for 15, 20 years, that’s a gray zone that I think where you find a lot of division of opinion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. “I always thought that this idea of mass deportations sent the wrong message.”
Cornyn pointed to a campaign ad from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who told the president that some enforcement “has gone too far” and that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 “feel betrayed.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is running for reelection, said most Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on people who have committed crimes beyond unlawful presence.
“Most Americans are saying we are a nation of laws, but with as many people here illegally as we’ve got, let’s make darn sure that our focus is on getting those individuals that have violated our laws with regard to other things other than being here illegally,” Rounds said. He urged the administration to ease off people who “are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here,” and to “refocus on those individuals that are actually causing harm within society today.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was blunter. “I would rather have 100 illegally present people go free than have that innocent person caught,” he said. Of sweeps that have swept up citizens and green-card holders.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/842191576_18641085880023307_6000724888231376659_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=xtZvFe7RaVYQ7kNvwG4OWwN&_nc_oc=AdovbRSSo7-bJB-h4BjOGp3hCPdXOFQnOzD9Azrpx2vu_gAxIR8ITx7lo-GmhavkZsA&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=fW7OUxlv-Gt1tPXmKB9Rfw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKnjqbk9bCanvN6F7Y22UnyIEwGXkxHeWg3_YtRxdVmm5j-9IXIK9RQkBspL661R7CgVMoDprc4&oh=00_AQNP8ex-Ui_Og_eorUKYC9Yi5rQBFweI89SPrOVYuscvVw&oe=6AD1AE36)
