The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed this Monday the arrest of Cuban Adermis Wilson González, who spent nearly two decades in prison in the United States after being convicted of hijacking a plane from the Isle of Youth in 2003.
The news of the arrest of Wilson, 56, by federal immigration agents in Houston, Texas, on Sunday, June 29, was reported by the site CaféFuerte based on family sources. Following his arrest, the Cuban faces deportation proceedings and may be transferred to Mexico.
ICE confirmed in a statement published on its official site that Wilson is one of the 1,361 undocumented immigrants arrested during immigration law enforcement operations in the Houston area in June, who had entered the U.S. illegally and are facing criminal charges or have prior criminal convictions.
Among the foreigners captured by the Houston field office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) were 32 individuals convicted of sexual offenses against minors, nine convicted of homicide, and 16 documented members of transnational gangs or drug cartels.
In addition to Wilson's arrest, the federal agency also outlined the cases of four other illegal immigrants of Mexican nationality, who entered the country irregularly on multiple occasions and have convictions for drug trafficking and possession, attempted murder, sexual assault of minors, aggravated robbery, and illegal use of firearms.
The note emphasized that the arrests are part of the routine immigration control operations that the ERO Houston field office conducts daily in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Southeast Texas, aimed at enhancing national and border security.
The hijacking of a Cubana de Aviación plane in 2003
On the night of March 31, 2003, Adermis Wilson González, who was then working as a civil construction technician on the Isle of Youth, diverted a commercial flight of Cubana de Aviación that was headed to Havana from Nueva Gerona.
Armed with two grenades, Wilson instructed the pilot of the Antonov-24, carrying 46 people on board, to head towards Miami. Since the fuel was insufficient to cross the Florida Straits, the aircraft made an emergency landing at José Martí International Airport in Havana.
After 14 hours of prolonged negotiation with Wilson, in which the ruling Fidel Castro and the then head of the U.S. Interests Section, James Cason, were directly involved, the disembarkation of 22 individuals - including children and women - was permitted, and the plane resumed its flight to Florida at noon on April first, carrying 25 passengers and six crew members on board.
During the 50 minutes of travel between Havana and Key West, the Antonov-24 was escorted by two F-15 fighter jets from the U.S. Air Force and a Black Hawk helicopter.
Upon landing on U.S. soil, Wilson surrendered to authorities with his hands raised. The Cuban carried out the hijacking alongside what was then his wife and her three-year-old son, whom he was carrying in his arms as he descended the airplane steps. No one was injured during the hijacking of the aircraft.
The two grenades he used to carry out his plan were fake; they had been made with the help of a ceramicist from Isla de la Juventud. However, before leaving, he had indeed left real grenades in his house and even spread gunpowder on the floor to make the Cuban authorities believe that the devices in his possession were authentic.
Months after the incident, a federal court in the U.S. declared him guilty of the crime of air piracy and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
While in prison, Wilson studied English, graduated as a civil engineer from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013, and earned a master's degree in Logistics from the University of North Carolina, reported CaféFuerte.
In April 2021, after completing his sentence in a federal prison in South Carolina, Wilson was transferred to an ICE detention center to commence his deportation process to Cuba, which was ultimately dismissed for humanitarian reasons.
The Cuban was in custody of the agency for nearly five months and was released on September 23, 2021, due to his delicate health condition. Since 2017, he had been suffering from paralysis in his legs, a condition that forced him to remain in a wheelchair, as well as hypertension and heart issues. After his release, he resided in the city of Houston.
The arrest of Wilson by ICE and his imminent deportation occur within a context where the administration of President Donald Trump has intensified the offensive against illegal immigration, with systematic raids and arrests across the country and mass deportations of undocumented migrants with criminal records.
Frequently Asked Questions about the detention of Adermis Wilson González and the migration context in the U.S.
Who is Adermis Wilson González and why was he arrested by ICE?
Adermis Wilson González is a Cuban citizen who was arrested by ICE in Houston, Texas, on June 29, 2025. Wilson had served nearly 20 years in prison in the U.S. for hijacking a plane from Isla de la Juventud, Cuba, in 2003. In the current context of U.S. immigration policies, he is facing a deportation process.
What happened during the hijacking of the plane by Adermis Wilson in 2003?
On March 31, 2003, Adermis Wilson González diverted a flight of Cubana de Aviación traveling from Nueva Gerona to Havana, armed with fake grenades. After a 14-hour negotiation, the plane was allowed to fly to Florida, escorted by U.S. F-15 jets. Upon arriving in Key West, Wilson peacefully surrendered to U.S. authorities.
Why wasn't Adermis Wilson deported to Cuba?
Adermis Wilson was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the charge of air piracy. In 2021, after spending nearly two decades in prison, he was released and transferred to an ICE detention center, where the deportation process to Cuba was initiated. He was not deported to the island due to humanitarian reasons and his delicate health condition. Since 2017, he has suffered from paralysis in his legs, hypertension, and heart conditions. Additionally, the Cuban regime has shown reluctance to accept the return of citizens with criminal records.
What immigration policy is the United States implementing under the administration of Donald Trump?
The administration of Donald Trump has intensified measures against illegal immigration, conducting raids and mass deportations. The policy includes the possibility of deporting immigrants to third countries if their countries of origin refuse to accept them, as is the case with Cuba.
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