The Cuban youtuber Yander Serra (@yanderserra) has sparked a wave of reactions on social media with a video in which he condemns Cubans who, after settling in the United States, call for the deportation of other newly arrived migrants. “I’m here to make this little video for all those Cubans, so they don’t forget that one day they fled the same misery, the same dictatorship, the same hunger, the same fear,” he says at the beginning of the video, which has already garnered thousands of views and comments.
“Now, because you have papers and a full belly, you are daring to ask for the deportation and return of other Cubans who are just arriving or who have recently arrived. Let me make this very clear: you are the worst scum the exile could have produced,” Serra continues. “You have forgotten the tears at the airport, the cold of the first winter in the United States, the early morning jobs, washing dishes and cleaning floors. The humiliations we endured, and the fear of immigration, because we also went through that. You, who one day were begging for an opportunity, like everyone else, and who now want to close the doors on your own... you do not deserve to call yourselves Cubans.”
The reactions came quickly. “I’m Cuban and I feel ashamed, but it’s real,” wrote one user. “I’m embarrassed to say I’m Cuban,” said another. “Today at work, a Mexican asked me why Cubans who support Trump attack those who just arrived. I felt pity,” recounted another follower. “Even my family. And the worst part is that they love the current president.” “The worst enemy of a Cuban without papers is another Cuban with papers,” stated another user. “They’ve forgotten the hunger they endured,” recalled an online user. “What you said is the absolute truth,” another person wrote. “Well said. They forget everything and now they want others to be deported,” added another comment that summarizes the sentiments of dozens of similar responses.
The video adds to a series of recent statements by Serra on political and migration issues. Earlier this year, he publicly criticized Cubans who voted for Donald Trump, despite having family members stuck at the border. “So many of those who could vote did so in favor of Trump, even with their mother or some relative waiting in Mexico. That’s why we have to endure the things we endure,” he said at the time following the elimination of CBP One and the return of the “Remain in Mexico” program. Serra did not hide his outrage: “The Cuban is the most malicious creature there is.”
In a previous video, Serra questioned the direction of democracy in the United States. “I feel and I am seeing that Donald Trump's mandate in 2025 increasingly resembles a functional democracy less and more like a textbook dictatorship. Like all the authoritarian regimes we already know,” he stated. “We see how all powers are consolidated in a single figure, opponents are persecuted, and public discourse is manipulated to turn the entire lie into an official truth... We already know that from Cuba, from Ortega, from Maduro.” He also criticized the cult of personality: “The Trump of 2025 does not govern, he imposes; he does not debate, he sentences; he does not listen, he only orders.”
On July 4th, he also shared a prayer on his Facebook profile asking for protection for the United States. “Almighty Lord, today we lift our voice and our hearts to You, asking for protection for this nation that You have given us as a home. Deliver us, Father, from every dictator, from every ruler who seeks to oppress the people, who intends to silence the truth and extinguish freedom,” he wrote.
Serra's speech aligns with other voices within the exile community that have called for greater empathy among migrants. Psychologist Carelis Conde challenged comparisons between different forms of migration in a viral video: “Is your migration situation less painful than mine?,” she asked, denouncing comments such as “those on parole have it easy” or “crossing the Darién was worse than risking the sea.”
The Cuban Roy, known on TikTok, also expressed a similar criticism in February: “I am ashamed of those who, being immigrants, support mass deportations. I am ashamed of Cubans who refer to other Latinos as 'Indians' in a derogatory manner. I am ashamed of those who have forgotten where they come from.”
Yander Serra, originally from Manzanillo, Granma, arrived in the United States at the end of 2022 through the southern border. “I made it, because it was about time!” he wrote back then on Facebook, along with a video of him walking beside the border wall.
From his channel "Yander te lo contó" in Cuba, he denounced the repressive practices of the regime and faced harassment from State Security. He was fined 3,000 pesos for criticizing informants on social media. In 2023, now in exile, he reported being discriminated against in a store in Miami for carrying a backpack, comparing the experience to the mentality of the Cuban system: "This is increasingly resembling Cuba, but with Coca-Cola and food."
With his publications, Serra has become one of the most critical voices of the Cuban exiles, not only against the regime on the island but also regarding the attitudes of intolerance, forgetfulness, and lack of solidarity that he perceives within the migrant community itself.
Frequently asked questions about Yander Serra's criticisms of the Cuban community in the U.S.
What motivated the YouTuber Yander Serra to criticize some Cubans in the U.S.?
Yander Serra criticized Cubans who, after settling in the U.S., call for the deportation of other migrants, reminding them that they too fled from misery and dictatorship in Cuba. He denounces that these individuals forget their own past and the support they received upon arrival.
What is Yander Serra's stance on Donald Trump's immigration policies?
Serra has been critical of Cubans who supported Trump, especially regarding the immigration policies that affect their fellow countrymen. He criticized those who voted for Trump despite having family members stranded at the border, and emphasized his concern about the anti-democratic direction he perceives in Trump's administration.
How has the Cuban community reacted to Yander Serra's statements?
The Cuban community has had mixed reactions to Serra's statements. While some support his appeal for empathy and recall their own experiences as migrants, others feel offended by his criticisms and defend their right to express their political opinions.
What other voices have raised similar criticisms to those of Yander Serra regarding Cuban migration?
Other figures, such as Cuban Roy on TikTok and psychologist Carelis Conde, have also voiced their disagreement with Cuban immigrants who support deportation measures. These critics advocate for greater solidarity and empathy among migrants, questioning the lack of memory and racism within the Latino community.
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