Arrest of Cuban Uber Driver Sparks Outrage on Social Media

A video capturing the arrest of a Cuban man named Daisel Morales Hernández, who was working as an Uber driver at the time, has gone viral on social media, stirring a mix of emotions among the Cuban community abroad.

The incident reportedly took place in Comal County, Texas, as noted in the arrest record from Friday, October 30. Morales, 34, is currently detained in the county jail by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to his family, who spoke to journalist Daniel Benítez, Morales entered the United States under humanitarian parole and was awaiting residency approval under the Cuban Adjustment Act. His arrest occurred while he was engaged in a ride-sharing service.

The almost three-minute-long video features a woman confronting the officers in English, demanding, "Why are you arresting this man? What has he done?" Despite her persistent questioning, she receives no answers.

At another point, she challenges, "You are not police officers; you are ICE agents. Have you read him his rights? Is this legal?" When the agents instruct her to step back and threaten her with pepper spray, she retorts, "Perhaps you are being so aggressive because you know what you're doing is wrong."

The footage has sparked thousands of comments. Many users questioned the identity of the agents, observing that their vests bore the label "POLICE" rather than "ICE."

Others speculated on the circumstances of the arrest: "He was flagged by the car's license plate. Surely someone tipped them off," one commenter suggested. Another added, "This wasn't a random stop. They went directly for him."

Among those defending Morales, a user commented, "Daisel is a good, hardworking young man with high morals and family values. All he's done is work here and support his family. This is an abuse, and it’s a clear example that they don't just arrest people with criminal records."

Another comment praised the woman who filmed the incident: "The lady in the video has more integrity than many journalists who fail to report unnecessary arrests."

This situation is not isolated. In October 2026, at least two other cases of Cuban Uber drivers being detained by ICE under similar circumstances were documented, including Frank Yanuyr Arzuaga-Castellón, who was arrested in Texas while transporting a passenger from an airport to a military base.

A recurring legal issue for Cubans in these situations is ICE's categorization of them as "arriving aliens," a status that may prevent an immigration judge from having jurisdiction to grant bail, complicating their legal defense, even when they have pending adjustment of status applications.

The distinction between formal immigration parole and an I-220A form is crucial: this document alone does not establish eligibility under the Cuban Adjustment Act nor equate to immigration parole.

Detentions of Cubans by ICE have surged by 463% since October 2024, increasing from fewer than 200 per month to over 1,000 monthly by late 2025. In August 2026, the agency recorded more than 50,000 detentions, and only 31% of the over 500,000 arrested up to that date had prior criminal convictions.

Witnesses have a constitutional right to record ICE arrests in public spaces under the First Amendment, as long as they do not physically interfere with the agents.

The woman who filmed Morales's arrest exercised this right, despite the agents' threats. One comment encapsulated the sentiment of many: "May God protect all Cubans and immigrants in the world."

The case of Daisel Morales highlights the uncertainty faced by thousands of Cubans with parole in the U.S. Stay updated on all developments in our U.S. Immigration section.