Cubans deported from the United States and left in Mexico find themselves in a precarious situation without legal status, hindering their ability to live or work. Many resort to informal jobs in crowded shelters or even on the streets, as reported by Capital & Main from southern Mexico.
“I feel lost in this country,” expressed one of the deported individuals after being released from an immigration detention center in Villahermosa, left without direction or support.
The report highlights several Cubans working under the table at the José María Pino Suárez Public Market in Villahermosa. After the U.S. government deported them to Mexico, Mexican authorities transported them by bus to this city in Tabasco, just a few hours from the Guatemalan border.
Without documentation or permits, some of these individuals haul water containers on delivery tricycles or manage fruit stands as a means to earn food and shelter.
The Impact of U.S. Deportation Policies
This situation stems from the Trump administration's policy of negotiating with third countries to deport individuals not originally from those destinations. Capital & Main notes that in addition to sending individuals to places like El Salvador or African nations, the U.S. has been deporting people from the Western Hemisphere, including Cuba and Nicaragua, to Mexico.
In this arrangement, while Mexico receives these deportees, it does not grant them legal status to reside or work, forcing them into informal economies and increasing their vulnerability.
The report indicates an unclear picture of how many individuals from other countries Mexico has received under this system, as the nation regularly publishes statistics on its citizens deported but not on other nationalities sent from the U.S.
In July, President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned Mexico had received 6,525 deportees of various nationalities.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to requests for comment, nor did the Mexican government address questions on the matter, according to Capital & Main.
Challenges Faced by Deported Cubans
Human rights observers like the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and the Institute for Women in Migration note that many deported individuals are sent to Villahermosa, a city of around 834,000 people with only one migrant shelter.
The Oasis de Paz del Espíritu Santo Amparito shelter faces significant challenges, especially as many deportees are elderly who spent decades in the U.S., arriving with chronic illnesses and no support networks.
The journey begins when ICE decides to send someone to Mexico, placing them on a bus to the border. Deportees have reported crossing at different points, from Tijuana to Reynosa.
Once in Mexico, they are transported by bus to Villahermosa, a trip that can take up to 40 hours, depending on the crossing point. Upon arrival, they are released from a detention center to determine their next steps. One individual recounted being released near 11 p.m. on the street.
Struggles of Cuban Deportees Seeking Stability
Among the stories shared is that of Louis Robaina, a Cuban who worked at a fruit stand in Villahermosa. After serving a six-year prison sentence in Miami for fraud and money laundering, he was transferred to immigration custody. A judge denied him protection from returning to Cuba, and when Cuba refused to accept him back, he ended up in Villahermosa in early summer.
Robaina applied for asylum in Mexico and awaited the process, supported by his family in the United States.
The narrative also includes Damián De La Moneda, 49, whose deportation came despite a criminal conviction over 20 years ago. He had rebuilt his life in Miami, working with a Christian ministry. Following a traffic stop in Texas, ICE arrested and sent him to Mexico, even as he filed a habeas corpus petition. Court records indicate his request wasn't processed until after his arrival in Villahermosa.
Elderly and Vulnerable: A Harsh Reality
The report poignantly focuses on older adults, like Ángel Insúa, 65, with diabetes, hypertension, leg issues, and vision loss, who said he lived about 45 years in Orlando and lost his green card after a decades-old prison sentence. During deportation, he claimed his money and a ring were taken, and he was shackled.
Another Cuban, with multiple health issues (sciatica, high blood pressure, epilepsy, and asthma), accepted going to Mexico to avoid returning to Cuba. Meanwhile, Fidel Forten-García, 66, was deported without a phone, struggling to communicate with family and access medication.
Not all Cubans sent to Mexico have criminal backgrounds. The article describes Yamil, who lost his asylum in 2017 and regularly reported to ICE without being deported to Cuba. He married a U.S. citizen but was told he needed to leave the U.S. and request a pardon for unauthorized stay to seek residency. During a routine check-in, he was detained and soon found himself in Mexico, now struggling to survive on pesos while debts accumulate in the U.S.
Understanding the Plight of Cuban Deportees in Mexico
Why are Cuban migrants being deported to Mexico?
The U.S. has been sending Cuban migrants to Mexico as part of a strategy to deport individuals to third countries with which it has agreements, despite these individuals not being originally from those nations.
What challenges do these deportees face in Mexico?
Without legal status, deportees struggle to find work or permanent housing, often relying on informal jobs in markets or shelters and facing significant vulnerability.
Are all Cuban deportees to Mexico criminals?
No, not all have criminal backgrounds. Some, like Yamil, have lost their asylum claims or legal status, resulting in their deportation despite no criminal history.