U.S. immigration authorities recently deported two Cuban citizens with serious criminal records as part of a controversial repatriation operation destined for South Sudan, a country with which the U.S. does not have formal migration agreements.
The operation, organized by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), included eight foreigners convicted of violent crimes, including murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and journalists such as Bill Melugin from Fox News.
Cubans identified on the flight are Enrique Arias-Hierro and José Manuel Rodríguez-Quiñones.
The Department of Homeland Security published a brief statement indicating that Arias-Hierro was arrested by ICE on May 2, 2025.
He has convictions for homicide, armed robbery, impersonation of a public official, kidnapping, and burglary, the note emphasizes.
Rodríguez-Quiñones, for his part, was arrested on April 30th and sentenced for first-degree attempted murder with a weapon, physical assault, theft, and trafficking of canine animals.
Both were considered by ICE as individuals who "represent genuine threats to national security and public safety."
Despite the fact that only one of the eight deportees was originally from South Sudan, the flight departed from Texas with that African country as its final destination.
The authorities explained that the use of "third countries" is a practice adopted when the countries of origin refuse to accept their citizens, as is often the case with Cuba.
"With President Trump and under the direction of Secretary Noem, we can now prevent these predators from continuing to have victims in the United States," stated Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE.
The official stated that, after years of dealing with recalcitrant countries, the administration has opted to implement alternative deportations to remove immigrants deemed to be of "high risk" from the country.
The flight has generated controversy. A federal judge in Boston has ordered that the deportees be held in custody while it is assessed whether the deportation violated a previous court order aimed at protecting their procedural rights.
Furthermore, the case is part of a growing trend of deportations to third countries under the “Safe Third Country” doctrine, a policy strengthened by the Trump administration. In January of this year, the U.S. signed a similar agreement with El Salvador, which included the transfer of immigrants of various nationalities, including convicted criminals.
These decisions have faced opposition from the judiciary and human rights organizations, which question the legality and ethics of sending people to countries with high levels of instability and violence.
The deportation of Cubans to a country with which they have no direct ties and, in the case of South Sudan, is one of the most unstable nations in the world has rekindled the debate over the use of laws such as the Foreign Enemies Act, invoked to justify expulsions without standard immigration processes.
The U.S. Supreme Court has partially blocked this practice, as reports of a lack of transparency and violations of fundamental rights in these operations increase.
This Thursday, ICE announced the detention of another Cuban in a raid in Texas, and claims that he also has a criminal record.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Deportation of Cubans to South Sudan
Why did the U.S. deport Cubans to South Sudan?
The U.S. deported Cubans to South Sudan as part of a high-risk repatriation operation organized by ICE. This action was taken because Cuba and other countries of origin refused to accept their citizens due to their extensive criminal histories. South Sudan was used as a "third country" to carry out the deportation, despite lacking formal immigration agreements with the U.S.
Who are the Cubans deported by the U.S. to South Sudan?
The deported Cubans are Enrique Arias-Hierro and José Manuel Rodríguez-Quiñones. Arias-Hierro was convicted of homicide, armed robbery, and other serious offenses, while Rodríguez-Quiñones had convictions for attempted murder and the trafficking of dog breeds. Both were deemed threats to national security in the U.S.
What is the "Safe Third Country" policy applied in these deportations?
The "Safe Third Country" policy allows the U.S. to deport immigrants to a country that is not their country of origin. This is applied when the country of origin refuses to accept its citizens back. In this case, South Sudan was chosen to receive the deportees, even though only one of them was originally from that country.
What impact does this deportation have on relations between the U.S. and Cuba?
The deportation to third countries rather than directly to Cuba reflects the tensions between both governments. Since Cuba often refuses to accept deportees with serious criminal records, the U.S. is seeking alternatives to remove individuals deemed dangerous from the country, without the cooperation of the Cuban government.
Filed under:
