Federal immigration agents apprehended Geraldo Lunas Campos, a Cuban national residing illegally in the United States, on Monday. Known for his violent criminal history, Lunas Campos has been convicted of serious offenses such as sexual abuse of a child under 11 and aggravated assault with a weapon, among other charges.
The 55-year-old was taken into custody on July 14 in Rochester, New York, by personnel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Buffalo, in cooperation with the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), as stated in an ICE press release.
Authorities have identified him as an "aggravated felon" with a long-standing record of violent crimes dating back to at least 1997 until October 2015. His criminal activities include first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, aggravated assault with a weapon, possession of a loaded firearm, driving under the influence, selling controlled substances, and multiple instances of petty theft.
According to the ICE report, Lunas Campos entered the U.S. on parole through Miami, Florida, on January 12, 1996. An immigration judge ordered his deportation on March 1, 2005. Following his arrest, he remains in ICE custody awaiting deportation proceedings.
"For nearly two decades, this individual roamed freely, allegedly committing crimes across the states—from New York to New Jersey and California—including at least one incident involving the sexual abuse of a young child. With this arrest, his free run has ended," stated Erin Keegan, the special agent in charge at HSI Buffalo.
On Tuesday, the U.S. government deported Roberto Mosquera Del Peral, a 58-year-old Cuban, to the Kingdom of Eswatini in Southern Africa, as part of a forced deportation operation involving four other convicted criminal immigrants. "These are individuals so exceptionally heinous that their home countries refused to take them back," remarked Tricia McLaughlin, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, when announcing the news on social media platform X.
Mosquera Del Peral, who resided in Miami, was detained by ICE agents last June. His criminal record includes first-degree murder, aggravated assault, assault on a police officer with a weapon, grand theft auto, aggravated fleeing, and eluding police. He was also a confirmed member of the Latin Kings gang.
The deportation flight marks ICE's second operation to an African nation since the Trump administration's decision to deport convicted foreign criminals to third countries when their home nations refuse to accept them. This policy received backing from the U.S. Supreme Court.
In May, eight immigrants with criminal backgrounds, including Cuban nationals Enrique Arias Hierro and José Manuel Rodríguez Quiñones, were deported to South Sudan. Arias Hierro, arrested on May 2, 2025, had been convicted of murder, armed robbery, identity fraud, and kidnapping, while Rodríguez Quiñones, detained on April 30, had convictions for attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, assault, theft, and trafficking in canine animals.
This Wednesday, ICE in Miami reported the arrest of another Cuban immigrant, who will remain in custody until deportation. Ariochy Morán, 52, was convicted of attempted lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor under 12 by an adult and holds a final deportation order.
Frequently Asked Questions on Deportation of Criminals
Who is Geraldo Lunas Campos?
Geraldo Lunas Campos is a Cuban national with a violent criminal history, including offenses like sexual abuse of a child and aggravated assault, residing illegally in the U.S.
What is the significance of ICE's deportation flights to third countries?
These deportation flights signify the U.S. government's effort to remove convicted foreign criminals when their home countries refuse to accept them, a policy supported by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Why was Roberto Mosquera Del Peral deported to Eswatini?
Roberto Mosquera Del Peral was deported to Eswatini as part of a U.S. operation to deport criminals to third countries when their home nations refuse to accept them back.