An immigration judge in Nebraska has reportedly ordered the deportation of Digsan García Rodríguez, a former lieutenant of Cuba's National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and ex-chief of the sector in Santa Fe, Playa municipality, Havana. The decision follows documented allegations from victims accusing him of power abuse and repression on the island.
The deportation order was issued on June 9 and reported by Cuban exile media on June 10 and 11. The immigration court denied him any legal protection.
Interestingly, García Rodríguez will not be sent back to Cuba but to Guatemala, under an agreement that allows the Central American nation to receive migrants expelled from the United States when their home countries refuse to accept them.
Background on Digsan García Rodríguez
García Rodríguez was an integral part of the Cuban regime's police structure in Santa Fe, a coastal area west of Havana. As a sector chief of the PNR, he had direct control over local complaints, community surveillance, and coordination with state security agencies.
His name appears in the public database of the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba under the "VIOLENT" category. In 2023, he was publicly identified by Alexander Otaola and the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP) shortly after arriving in the U.S.
Allegations and Legal Battles
The most well-documented accusation comes from Kamila García, who testified that the ex-officer sexually harassed her and, when rebuffed, fabricated a case against her. According to her testimony, García Rodríguez falsely accused her of stealing clothes from her neighbors, leading to her prosecution under "pre-criminal dangerousness," a Cuban judicial mechanism allowing imprisonment based on alleged criminal propensity.
This resulted in Kamila García's two-year incarceration. She also claimed that "many other women were victims of his sexual harassment," extending the scope of allegations beyond her individual case.
Exposure and Political Action
After arriving in the United States, García Rodríguez reportedly kept a low profile. However, exile organizations began tracking down Cuban ex-officials accused of repression who had entered the country under false pretenses. His name was added to a list submitted by Cuban-American Congressman Carlos A. Giménez to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In March 2025, Giménez introduced the report "Cuban Repressors in the United States of America," listing 100 Cuban nationals accused of human rights violations. The FHRC has identified around 1,100 Cuban repressors in total, with 117 allegedly entering the U.S. in the past year through fraudulent means.
A Step Toward Justice
This case is not isolated. Former Cuban judge Juana Orquídea Acanda Rodríguez was deported in April 2025 after concealing her Communist Party affiliation, and former intelligence officer Tomás Emilio Hernández Cruz was arrested in March 2025 in West Park, Florida, for immigration fraud.
Alexander Otaola explicitly thanked Congressman Giménez and Senator Marco Rubio for amplifying the allegations that led to the deportation order. "This case proves that allegations matter, that documenting repression has consequences, and that oppressors cannot hide among their victims in exile," Otaola remarked, concluding with a sentiment shared by many in the exile community: "No forgetting, no impunity. Oppressors are not welcome in the land of freedom."
Understanding the Deportation of Cuban Repressors
Why was Digsan García Rodríguez deported to Guatemala instead of Cuba?
García Rodríguez was deported to Guatemala due to an agreement that allows the country to receive migrants expelled from the U.S. when their home nations refuse to take them back.
What were the main accusations against Digsan García Rodríguez?
He was accused of abusing his power in Cuba, including fabricating criminal charges against individuals, as well as sexual harassment, with documented cases like that of Kamila García.
How did U.S. authorities become aware of his past actions?
His name was included in a list of Cuban repressors submitted to the Department of Homeland Security by Congressman Carlos A. Giménez, based on information gathered by exile organizations and human rights foundations.