Federal immigration agents arrested Cuban citizen Geraldo Lunas Campos this Monday, who is illegally residing in the United States and is a convicted criminal with a violent criminal record that includes sexual abuse of a child under 11 years old and aggravated assault with a weapon, among other criminal antecedentes.
Lunas Campos, 55 years old, was arrested on July 14 in Rochester, New York, by personnel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Buffalo, in coordination with the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), according to a statement published on the ICE website.
The Cuban is "considered a repeat offender, with an extensive criminal history of violence" that spans at least from 1997 to October 2015, authorities revealed.
His criminal record includes, among other offenses, first-degree sexual abuse of a child under the age of 11, aggravated assault with a weapon, criminal possession of a loaded firearm, driving under the influence, sale of a controlled substance, and three separate cases of petty theft.
The ICE report specifies that Lunas Campos was granted parole in the U.S. through Miami, Florida, on January 12, 1996, and on March 1, 2005, an immigration judge ordered his deportation.
After his arrest, he remains in the custody of ICE awaiting the deportation process.
“For nearly 20 years, this individual had free rein to commit alleged crimes from coast to coast —in New York, New Jersey, and California— including at least one offense involving the sexual abuse of a young child. With this arrest, his luck has finally run out,” stated Erin Keegan, special agent in charge of HSI Buffalo.
This Tuesday, the U.S. government deported the Cuban Roberto Mosquera Del Peral, 58 years old, to the kingdom of Eswatini, in southern Africa, as part of a forced deportation operation to a third country that included four other convicted criminal immigrants.
They are "individuals so singularly barbaric that their countries of origin refused to accept them back," stated the Under Secretary of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, while announcing the news on Tuesday night on the social network X.
Mosquera Del Peral, a Miami resident, had been arrested by ICE agents last June. The Cuban had prior convictions for first-degree murder and aggravated assault, aggravated assault against a police officer with a weapon, grand theft auto, aggravated fleeing by reckless driving, and evasion of police. Additionally, he was a confirmed member of the Latin Kings gang.
The flight on which he was deported is the second that ICE has undertaken to an African country, following the decision by President Donald Trump's administration to expel foreign convicts from third countries who are not accepted by their home nations. The measure was supported by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In May, eight immigrants with criminal records were deported to South Sudan, among them the Cubans Enrique Arias Hierro, 47 years old, and José Manuel Rodríguez Quiñones, 54.
Arias Hierro, who was arrested on May 2, 2025, had been convicted of homicide, armed robbery, identity theft, kidnapping, and other crimes, while Rodríguez Quiñones, arrested on April 30, had convictions for attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, assault, theft, and trafficking of canine animals.
This Wednesday, it was reported that ICE arrested another immigrant of Cuban origin in Miami, who will remain in the agency's custody until his deportation.
Ariochy Morán, 52 years old, was convicted of an attempted lascivious and obscene sexual assault against a minor aged 12 by an adult and has a final deportation order.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Arrest and Deportation of Cubans in the United States
Why was Geraldo Lunas Campos arrested in New York?
Geraldo Lunas Campos was arrested due to his violent criminal record, which includes sexual abuse of a child under 11 years old and aggravated assault with a weapon. He was in the United States illegally and is considered a repeat offender.
What is the deportation policy of the United States toward Cubans with criminal records?
The deportation policy of the United States under the Trump administration focuses on expelling immigrants with serious criminal records. Since the Cuban government refuses to accept some deportees, the United States has chosen to send them to third countries, such as South Sudan and Eswatini.
What happens if Cuba does not accept deportees with criminal records?
If Cuba does not accept deportees with criminal records, the United States may deport them to third countries. This is the case for several Cubans who have been sent to countries like South Sudan and Eswatini when their home country refuses to take them back.
How many Cubans are facing deportation orders in the United States?
According to official data, 42,084 Cubans have final deportation orders in the United States. However, many of them cannot be deported due to the Cuban government's refusal to accept them back.
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