Dear Mr. President:
My name is Pierre Richard Augustin, originally born in Les Cayes, Haiti 🇭🇹.
I write to you as an American citizen 🇺🇸, a husband, a father, a Haitian-American, and someone who deeply believes in the promise of the United States.
Throughout my life, I have tried to give back to the United States that has given so much to me.
As an employee of a private security contractor supporting the United States Government, I proudly served as an Armed Protective Security Officer in Washington, D.C. for 10 years.
In that capacity, I was entrusted with providing physical protection to federal employees, visitors, and federal facilities.
Alongside the dedicated fellow officers, I received specialized training to respond immediately to critical incidents, contain dangerous situations, protect innocent lives, and serve as an initial line of defense to contain the active shooting situation until the arrival of the FBI, SWAT teams, or other law enforcement agencies, depending on the nature of the emergency.
That experience strengthened my respect for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the dedicated men and women who serve our nation every day.
It also taught me that protecting people is not only about enforcing rules—it is also about exercising sound judgment, recognizing the value of every human life, and serving with integrity and compassion.
For that reason, I write to you today—not as a politician, not as an attorney, and not as an activist—but as an American citizen respectfully asking for mercy.
This is not a political letter.
It is not a legal argument.
It is not a criticism of your Administration, the Congress, or the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has spoken, and I respect our institutions and the rule of law.
I recognize that you have the constitutional authority to establish and implement the nation's immigration policy.
I write for one reason only:
To respectfully ask for mercy.
Mr. President, Before writing this letter, my heart continually returned to one story from the Bible—the story of Queen Esther.
When Esther learned that her people faced destruction, she did not organize a protest.
She did not insult the king.
She did not question his authority.
Instead, she humbled herself before God.
She asked her people to fast and pray for three days.
Only then did she respectfully approach the king to plead for innocent lives.
By God's grace, she found favor.
Her people were spared.
Mr. President, I am not Esther.
I do not compare myself to her courage or her calling.
But her story reminds me that ordinary people sometimes have a responsibility to speak up when they believe that justice and mercy can walk together.
I have no direct access to your office.
I cannot stand before you in person.
The gifts God has given me are my faith, my voice, my music, and my right as an American citizen to respectfully petition my government.
Perhaps that is why, after many years, God brought music back into my life.
Since I am creating a song based on this petition, this song is one of the doors God, the creator of Heaven and Earth, has opened for me.
If so, I feel a responsibility to use it to speak for families whose voices may never reach your desk.
Mr. President, I write today on behalf of many Haitian families who entered the United States through the humanitarian parole process that existed when they applied.
They did not create that program.
They did not write its rules.
They simply trusted the lawful process established by the United States Government.
They found qualified sponsors.
They completed the required applications.
They submitted the requested information.
They complied with the procedures established for them.
They received authorization to travel.
They entered through designated ports of entry after receiving government approval.
Many have since found employment.
Many pay taxes.
Many faithfully attend churches throughout our nation.
Many volunteer in their communities.
Many are raising children while supporting aging parents and relatives living through extraordinary hardship in Haiti.
These families are not asking to be above the law.
They are asking not to be forgotten by it.
I fully understand that administrations change.
Policies change.
Priorities change.
That is part of our constitutional system of government.
However, these families relied in good faith upon the authorization they received from the United States Government.
They organized their lives around it.
Their American sponsors also relied upon those representations when they welcomed them into their homes and accepted responsibility for helping them succeed.
Mr. President, When governments invite people to follow a lawful process, and those people rearrange their lives in reliance upon that invitation, honoring that reliance—where the law permits—is one of the ways a nation preserves trust in its institutions.
This is not simply a Haitian issue.
It is also an American issue.
America's strength has never rested solely upon its military, its economy, or its technological achievements.
Its strength has also rested upon the confidence that people around the world place in the integrity of its institutions and in the fairness of its laws.
For generations, people have looked to the United States as a nation where those who obey the law, work hard, and contribute positively to society have the opportunity to build better lives.
That enduring promise has inspired millions—including me.
It is one of the reasons I dreamed, as a young boy, of one day becoming an American.
Justice and Mercy Can Walk Together Mr. President, One of the reasons I admire America is because this nation has always sought to balance justice with mercy.
Justice protects the nation.
Mercy reflects the nation's character.
I recognize your solemn responsibility to protect the American people, secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws, and preserve our national security.
Those are sacred responsibilities entrusted to you by the American people, and I respect them.
I am not asking you to weaken border security.
I am not asking you to overlook fraud.
I am not asking you to excuse criminal conduct.
Anyone who has committed serious crimes, engaged in fraud, or poses a threat to our communities should be held accountable under the law.
My appeal is for those who sought to do the right thing.
For those who followed the rules that existed.
For those who entered only after receiving authorization from the United States Government.
For those who have worked honestly, paid taxes, obeyed our laws, worshipped freely, volunteered in their communities, and contributed positively to the country they have come to love.
I respectfully ask that these families be considered not merely as case numbers, but as human beings—people with names, children, dreams, and futures.
History often remembers not only the laws that leaders enforced, but also the compassion they showed when circumstances called for mercy.
Throughout American history, Presidents from both political parties have exercised discretion when extraordinary humanitarian circumstances required it. They did so not because they ignored the law, but because the law has long recognized that wisdom and compassion have a place in good government.
Mr. President, I respectfully ask you to consider whether this may be one of those moments.
Why This Matters to Me Personally This appeal is deeply personal.
When I was a young boy growing up in Haiti, America represented hope.
Like millions of people around the world, I believed that if I worked hard, respected the law, and never gave up on my dreams, extraordinary opportunities could become possible.
And one such dream that I am actively pursuing day or night or my life dream is to build a rocket free spaceship to make space travel accessible to millions of persons globally and not exclusively to the billionaires club.
That dream first took me to Point-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe to Paris, France and to New York City, USA where millions of people around the world have done, where I continued my education.
Later, through the generosity of the late Dave Wharton, who believed in investing in young people, I received a full scholarship at North Shore Community College then a Bachelor Degree in Political Science at Salem State University.
I expanded my education in obtaining 2 masters: Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA).
The United States of America gave me an opportunity that changed my life forever.
America welcomed me.
America educated me.
America allowed me to build a career.
America allowed me to raise a family.
America allowed me to serve others.
Everything I have accomplished has been possible because this country gave me an opportunity.
For that reason, my gratitude toward the United States runs deeper than words can fully express.
I have spent my life trying to repay that gift through honest work, public service, entrepreneurship, and now music, and by encouraging others to become productive members of society.
I love Haiti because it is the land of my birth.
I love America because it is the land of my opportunity.
In my heart, there is room for both.
That is why writing this letter has not been easy.
I do not write from anger.
I do not write from fear.
I write from gratitude.
And it is precisely because I love and respect this country that I believe America is at its strongest when justice is accompanied by mercy.
Every nation is ultimately remembered not only by the strength of its laws, but by the compassion with which those laws are administered.
It is often said that the true measure of a leader is found not only in moments of power, but in moments of mercy.
Mr. President, I respectfully believe that this is one of those moments.
A Respectful Request Mr. President, With the deepest respect for your office and your responsibilities as Commander in Chief and President of the United States, I humbly ask you to consider extending mercy to Haitian families who entered this country lawfully through the humanitarian parole process established by the United States Government.
I understand that immigration is a complex issue.
I understand that reasonable people may disagree on how best to secure our borders and administer our immigration system.
I understand that every decision carries consequences.
I do not pretend to have all the answers.
I simply ask that, as these matters continue to be considered, you remember the human faces behind the files.
Behind every immigration case is a father trying to provide for his children.
A mother praying for her family's future.
A student pursuing an education.
A church member serving their congregation.
A worker contributing honestly to the American economy.
A child who dreams of becoming a teacher, a nurse, a scientist, a police officer, or even one day serving this country in uniform or an astronaut.
These are not merely immigration cases.
They are human lives.
Many of these families fled a nation experiencing extraordinary hardship.
Some section of Haiti continues to struggle with widespread gang violence, political instability, economic collapse, and a humanitarian crisis that has forced countless innocent families to live in fear.
Many neighborhoods, not all, have become unsafe, schools and businesses have closed, hospitals have struggled to operate, and countless families have been displaced from their homes.
For many, returning today would mean returning to uncertainty, instability, and conditions beyond their control.
Mr. President, I recognize that no President can solve every problem in the world.
Nor should America bear every burden alone.
But America has always been a beacon of hope because, even while protecting its own interests, it has never lost sight of our common humanity.
That spirit has inspired generations across the globe.
It inspired me.
It continues to inspire millions today.
If there is any lawful discretion available to your Administration to provide additional humanitarian consideration for those who entered through the established parole process, I respectfully ask that you consider exercising that discretion with wisdom, fairness, and compassion.
I ask this not because these families are entitled to mercy.
Mercy, by its very nature, is never earned.
It is given.
And when it is given wisely, it reflects strength rather than weakness.
History remembers leaders for many reasons.
Some are remembered for victories.
Some for economic achievements.
Some for the laws they signed.
Others are remembered because, at a defining moment, they chose compassion without abandoning principle.
I respectfully pray that history may remember your leadership as one that upheld both the rule of law and the enduring American tradition of mercy.
Three Days of Prayer and Fasting
Mr. President, Before sending this letter, I have made a personal commitment.
Beginning today, I will dedicate three days to prayer and fasting.
Not as an attempt to influence politics.
Not as a protest.
Not as a public demonstration.
But as a personal act of faith.
Like Queen Esther, I believe there are moments when the most powerful thing we can do is humble ourselves before God, the creator of Heaven and Earth, and pray for wisdom, peace, and mercy.
During these three days, I will pray for you.
I will pray for your family.
I will pray for the Vice President.
I will pray for Members of Congress from both political parties.
I will pray for the Justices of the Supreme Court.
I will pray for the dedicated men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, and every public servant entrusted with enforcing our nation's laws.
I will pray for our military, our first responders, and the law enforcement officers who protect our communities every day.
I will pray for the American people.
I will pray for Haiti.
And I will pray for every Haitian family whose future remains uncertain.
My prayer is simple:
That God would grant wisdom where difficult decisions must be made.
Compassion where mercy is possible.
Justice where accountability is required.
And peace for every family affected by these decisions.
Above all, I pray that God's will—not mine—be done.
Because His wisdom is greater than ours, and His mercy reaches farther than we can imagine.
A Final Prayer and Closing Appeal
Mr. President, Throughout our nation's history, America has faced many defining moments.
Each generation has been called upon to make difficult decisions that would shape not only the future of our country, but also the legacy we leave to those who follow us.
I believe this is one of those moments.
Long after political debates have ended and headlines have faded, future generations will remember how our nation treated those who placed their trust in the lawful processes established by the United States Government.
They will remember whether America remained a nation that kept faith with those who acted in good faith.
Mr. President, I recognize the weight of the office you hold.
Every day you are called upon to make decisions that affect millions of lives.
I do not envy that responsibility.
Instead, I pray that God will continue to bless you with wisdom, discernment, courage, good health, and compassion as you lead our nation.
I also pray for your family, that God would protect them, strengthen them, and surround them with His peace.
I pray for every elected official, regardless of political party, because our nation is strongest when its leaders seek wisdom above division and service above self-interest.
As Americans, we may disagree on policies.
We may vote differently.
We may hold different opinions.
Yet we remain one nation under God, united by a shared hope that our children and grandchildren will inherit a country that is stronger, safer, freer, and more compassionate than the one we inherited.
That hope belongs to all of us.
Mr. President, I respectfully ask you to remember the Haitian families who followed the process that was placed before them.
Many came with hope rather than certainty.
Many came with faith rather than guarantees.
Many simply wanted the opportunity to live peacefully, work honestly, contribute to their communities, and provide a better future for their children.
I respectfully ask that, if it is within your lawful authority, you consider extending mercy to those who have demonstrated good faith, respected our laws, and sought only the opportunity to build productive lives in the United States.
If even one family is spared unnecessary hardship because of this appeal, then writing this letter will have been worthwhile.
Whether my request is granted or not, my respect for the Office of the President and for the institutions of the United States remains steadfast.
I will continue to pray for our country.
I will continue to pray for its leaders.
I will continue to pray for Haiti.
And I will continue to believe that mercy and justice are not opposing ideals, but enduring partners in the pursuit of a more perfect Union.
May God bless you.
May God bless your family.
May God bless the United States of America.
And may God bring peace, hope, and healing to the people of Haiti.
Thank you for taking the time to read this humble appeal.
