The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained Félix Lázaro Aldama-Gihon, a 56-year-old Cuban national, in Kentucky. Aldama-Gihon, who once held legal permanent residency, lost this status following a 20-year prison sentence for fatally stabbing his girlfriend.
The arrest took place on July 10, executed by ICE's Fugitive Operations Team in Louisville, Kentucky. Aldama-Gihon has been under a final deportation order since 2019 and is now undergoing legal proceedings aimed at his removal from the United States.
ICE's Commitment to Public Safety
"Our team works diligently every day to locate illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds," stated José Aguirre, acting deputy field office director of ICE in Louisville, on X. "Thanks to the relentless efforts of our agents, this violent individual is behind bars, making the community safer and contributing to justice," he added.
According to official reports, Aldama-Gihon repeatedly stabbed his girlfriend, leading to his conviction for first-degree murder and a 20-year prison sentence. Upon completing his term, he automatically lost his legal resident status—a direct consequence of his felony conviction under U.S. immigration law—and an immigration court issued a final deportation order against him in 2019.
ICE's Intensified Efforts Against Cuban Nationals
Despite the deportation order, Aldama-Gihon remained in the U.S. until ICE's Chicago-based Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), operating in Louisville, tracked and apprehended him. This case is part of a broader initiative by ICE to arrest and deport Cuban nationals with criminal records, a campaign that has been intensified in recent months.
Just days earlier, on July 8, ICE confirmed the deportation of another Cuban national, Luis Álvarez García, who was convicted of an attempted crime. This is part of a zero-tolerance policy toward immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
Cuba's Change in Deportation Policy
This policy gained significant momentum in February 2026, when the Cuban regime agreed for the first time to accept deportees with felony convictions. For decades, this had been a barrier to executing deportation orders against Cuban citizens.
Since this shift, ICE has conducted at least 18 direct repatriation flights to Cuba, expelling a total of 612 Cubans in the first five months of 2026 alone. The inaugural flight on February 9 transported 170 individuals, at least 50 of whom had felony convictions.
Data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), cited in recent reports, indicate that over 42,000 Cubans have pending final deportation orders in the U.S. Of these, at least 29,000 have criminal records, making them a primary target for ICE's fugitive operations.
Aldama-Gihon's arrest in Kentucky underscores that the presence of Cubans under deportation orders is not limited to states with large diaspora communities like Florida but spans across the country, including interior states such as Kentucky, where ICE has carried out raids against undocumented Cubans in recent years.
ICE Operations and Cuban Deportation: Key Insights
Why was Félix Lázaro Aldama-Gihon arrested by ICE?
Félix Lázaro Aldama-Gihon was arrested by ICE because he served a 20-year sentence for fatally stabbing his girlfriend, lost his legal residency status, and has been under a deportation order since 2019.
What is the significance of Cuba's change in deportation policy?
Cuba's change in deportation policy in 2026, where they agreed to accept deportees with felony convictions, has allowed the U.S. to execute deportation orders against Cuban citizens, significantly increasing the number of deportations.
How many Cubans with criminal records have been deported since the policy change?
Since the policy change, ICE has deported 612 Cubans in the first five months of 2026, with at least 50 of them having felony convictions.