Ahymed Socorro Rodríguez, a Cuban attorney residing in Miami, is currently detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Broward Transitional Center located in Pompano Beach, Florida. This information is confirmed by the agency's official detainee locator.
The spotlight on this case stems from the potential familial connection between the detainee and Roberto Socorro García, a Cuban diplomat who was expelled from the United States over two decades ago.
Exploring the Family Connection
According to Cuban government records, Ahymed Socorro Rodríguez shares an address in Cuba with Roberto Socorro García, who is now serving as a counselor at the Cuban Embassy in Guatemala, as reported by Telemundo 51.
Telemundo further clarifies that a human rights activist familiar with the situation suggests that the detained woman might be the daughter of Socorro García, though this familial link has not been independently verified.
Other outlets, such as Diario de las Américas, have directly identified her as the diplomat’s daughter, based on the matching surnames with his wife, Iliana Aymee Rodríguez Hada, who appeared in U.S. diplomatic directories in 2001 and 2002.
The Diplomat's Expulsion: Allegations and Fallout
Roberto Socorro García was declared persona non grata by the U.S. Department of State on December 19, 2003, during his tenure as the third secretary of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington. The U.S. government provided him with a ten-day window to leave the country, citing "activities incompatible with his diplomatic duties."
At the time, officials also suggested connections to criminal elements and activities associated with drug trafficking, although no concrete evidence or formal legal charges were made public.
A State Department official highlighted that this action differed from previous expulsions of Cuban and other diplomats for activities deemed inconsistent with their diplomatic status.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry categorically dismissed these accusations, labeling them as "crude lies and gross manipulation of reality."
Currently, Socorro García holds the position of minister-counselor, the second-highest rank, at the Cuban Embassy in Guatemala.
Ahymed Socorro Rodríguez: From Cuba's Ministry of Interior to Miami Law Firms
Ahymed Socorro Rodríguez arrived in the United States in 2021 with a visa. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she graduated from the University of Havana's Law School during the 2012-2013 academic year. She was also a member of the Union of Young Communists and served as a lecturer at the "Eliseo Reyes Rodríguez" Higher Institute, affiliated with the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), between 2013 and 2014.
She later worked as an attorney at the Specialized Services Law Firm, part of Cuba's National Organization of Collective Law Firms, focusing on representing foreign companies operating on the island for nearly seven years.
In Miami, she held a paralegal position at Harper Meyer law firm. Her name was listed among candidates for a Master’s in International Law at the University of Miami, set for December 2025.
In April 2025, responding to publications regarding her connections to regime structures, she stated that 99.9% of what was published about her was false.
ICE's Silence on Detention Reasons Fuels Speculation
ICE's public records do not disclose when, where, or why the attorney was detained, nor whether she has appeared before an immigration judge or if she is eligible for release on bail.
Telemundo 51 reached out to the agency for more information but received no response.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of ICE actions targeting individuals linked to Cuban government figures in Florida. Previous cases include the arrest of Alina Rosales Aguirreurreta, identified as the daughter of General Ulises Rosales del Toro, and Adys Lastres Morera, sister of the head of GAESA, both detained last May.
Between October 2024 and January 2026, detentions of Cubans by ICE surged by 463%, with Florida being the main focus of these actions.
Until ICE discloses the reasons behind the case, any connection between Socorro Rodríguez’s detention and her alleged father's diplomatic past remains speculative.
Understanding the Implications of ICE Detentions
What are the potential reasons for Ahymed Socorro Rodríguez's detention?
ICE has not disclosed specific reasons for her detention, leaving room for speculation about possible ties to her father's past diplomatic activities or other immigration-related issues.
How has ICE's approach to individuals connected to the Cuban regime changed?
Recently, ICE has intensified actions against individuals in Florida with connections to the Cuban government, as evidenced by increased detentions and scrutiny of such cases.