Wilkinson Sejour, a Haitian-Bahamian chef and owner of all seven Chef Creole restaurants in South Florida, went to the press to clear up the situation. He said ICE incorrectly detained (and then released) a Hispanic man passing by the restaurant.<\/p>\n
Even without a raid, he told reporters that the end of TPS led several of his employees to quit. Even employees with legal status were afraid to come to work, he told the Herald.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: \u2018Implementing terror\u2019: Miami business owners feel the pain of losing TPS workers<\/a><\/p>\n He also told CBS Evening News<\/a> that he regretted voting for Trump in 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cI was under the impression, like everyone else, that him being a business person that he understands how business is conducted and how he\u2019s able to grow and make businesses more effective,\u201d Sejour said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n As temporary protected status benefits are lifted for over 300,000 Haitians, the U.S. could feel the impact across the nursing industry, hotels, and more. pic.twitter.com\/aEYnDkVEYh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil (@CBSEveningNews) August 5, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The clip of Sejour\u2019s comment racked up views and comments on X and Instagram, drawing commentary from locals who were shocked to hear this from Sejour, whose restaurant has been a staple in Little Haiti since it first opened in 1992.<\/p>\n \u201cOh chef creole is never seeing me again…\u201d said one X user in response<\/a>.<\/p>\n In response to the backlash, Sejour told the Miami Herald he believes that his decision to vote for Trump shouldn\u2019t destroy the trust he\u2019s built throughout Miami over the 34 years his restaurants have been in business.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see where there is mistrust,\u201d he said. \u201cMy decision to vote for a candidate that I believed would make a difference did not take away the scholarship funds that I put forth every year to further their education. I\u2019m an advocate for situations and issues that affect our communities. Not many restaurants can say they fed 2,000 TSA workers when the government shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n The management teams at all seven Chef Creole locations have quit, Sejour said. In their absence, other employees are doing their work.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re moving people around,\u201d he told the Herald. \u201cThe food may take just a little bit longer.\u201d<\/p>\n During his most recent run, the president campaigned on ending TPS for Haitians and amplified a debunked conspiracy theory<\/a> that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Illinois kidnapped and ate wildlife, including pet cats and dogs. Behind closed doors, Trump has also reportedly referred to Haiti as \u201ca shithole country\u201d several times<\/a>, including once moments after a 2016 campaign event in Little Haiti.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether you vote for me or not I really want to be your biggest champion,\u201d Trump told the crowd of Haitian Americans at the time.<\/p>\n With the loss of TPS and the chilling effect on his staff and customers, Sejour told CBS that he may be forced to close two of his restaurants.<\/p>\n \u201cThe end of TPS, to me, means that my future in the hospitality business is going to be almost non-existent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This story was originally published August 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM.<\/p>\n