The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken into custody a Cuban national, Yordan Rodríguez, who has a criminal background involving drug possession and trafficking. Rodríguez is now facing deportation proceedings. The arrest was made by ICE agents from the New Orleans office, and along with his drug-related offenses, Rodríguez has prior convictions for assault and resisting authority, as stated in an official post on the social media platform X.
"Introducing poison into our communities is the quickest path to being removed from them," the agency declared.
Rodríguez's arrest is part of the Trump administration's stringent policy against undocumented immigrants with previous convictions or accusations of serious crimes. Such individuals are detained and held by ICE until their deportation from the United States can be executed.
In a span of just seven months, over 149,000 undocumented immigrants have been detained by ICE and other federal and state agencies. The federal administration also set a new record for deportations, averaging 1,435 illegal immigrants per day over the last two weeks, marking the highest figures in recent U.S. history.
Cuban Deportations: A Closer Look
An unspecified number of Cubans with criminal backgrounds or pending charges have been arrested in recent months, subsequently deported to the island or third countries. However, there have been numerous reports of Cuban immigrants with irregular status in the U.S. being held in ICE detention centers despite having no criminal history or final deportation orders, facing expulsion proceedings or having already been deported.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), by the end of 2024, more than 42,000 Cubans had final deportation orders in the U.S. The Cuban regime has refused to accept those with criminal records or who emigrated before January 2017.
Due to the Cuban government's reluctance, Washington has been deporting island immigrants to third countries. Three Cubans, deemed ineligible and with extensive criminal histories, were sent to South Sudan and the Kingdom of Eswatini in Africa, while an unspecified number have been deported to Mexico via flights.
Nonetheless, as part of ongoing bilateral migration agreements, since the start of President Trump's second term in January, more than 580 Cuban immigrants have been returned to the island by air.
FAQs on Cuban Deportations by ICE
What is ICE's role in the deportation of Cuban immigrants?
ICE is responsible for detaining undocumented immigrants with criminal records and facilitating their deportation from the United States.
How many Cuban immigrants have final deportation orders in the U.S.?
By the end of 2024, over 42,000 Cubans had final deportation orders in the United States.
Why does the Cuban government refuse to accept deported immigrants?
Cuba refuses to accept deported immigrants who have criminal records or who emigrated before January 2017.