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Ariel Figueredo López voluntarily went to the police station in Osceola, Arkansas, to resolve a traffic ticket that had his name spelled incorrectly. Instead of a solution, he received an arrest.
"They told him he wasn't in the system, that the name was incorrectly entered. That's when they detained him and said they were going to deport him to Cuba", his partner, Eliani Rusindo, told the newspaper El País, which reported the case this past Tuesday.
Since then, five months have passed, Ariel remains confined in a detention center of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana, without any pending criminal charges or the possibility of bail.
He had legally arrived in the United States in April 2023 through the CBP One program, with temporary permission to live and work. In just over a year, he managed to find a job, form a partnership, move between states, and build a new life alongside other Cuban migrants.
Like many Cubans who arrive with nothing, Figueredo bet everything on hard work. First, he worked in solar panels in Georgia, then with deliveries at Doordash, and secured a new contract in Arkansas.
Together with his girlfriend, he made a down payment on a 2018 KIA Sedona, rented a shared house, and even got credit cards. He wanted to return to Nebraska, where he had initially arrived. His brother lives there.
According to El País, their case falls within the migration offensive of the Donald Trump administration, which has intensified expedited deportations even for minor offenses.
The has resulted in thousands of arrests without criminal convictions or records, leading to devastating collateral effects for families such as loss of income, debt, asset seizures, and risk of deportation to countries where they face reprisals.
His brother and sister-in-law have paid over $2,500 to an immigration lawyer and continue to make monthly payments of $500 to prevent his deportation.
His girlfriend, meanwhile, had to return to Florida. For two months, she managed to keep up with the car payments, but this week a tow truck from the dealership took it away. “We wanted to buy a house, start a family, many things. But in the end, we lost everything. The things we had, that we had been buying little by little. Even the clothes,” Rusindo lamented.
Figueredo left his Doordash account PIN to withdraw the money and was able to access part of the funds in Chase, but the credit cards were ruined. “He had good credit,” his partner recalls. Today, only uncertainty remains.
The family fears that if Ariel is sent back to Cuba, he will end up in prison. He had expressed his opposition to the regime, and like many Cubans in exile, he knows that a forced return could cost him his freedom.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Detention of Ariel Figueredo López and ICE's Immigration Policy
Why was Ariel Figueredo López arrested in the U.S.?
Ariel Figueredo López was arrested by ICE after attempting to correct a traffic ticket with his incorrect name. Despite having no criminal charges, he was detained and faces a deportation process to Cuba, where he fears retaliation due to his opposition to the Cuban regime.
How does the current immigration policy affect Cubans in the U.S.?
The current immigration policy, intensified under the Trump administration, has led to an increase in the expedited detention and deportation of Cubans. Although many do not have criminal records, arrests often occur after routine immigration appointments, generating fear and uncertainty among the Cuban community in the U.S.
What are the economic consequences of these arrests for immigrant families?
The detention of immigrants like Ariel Figueredo López results in significant economic losses for their families. These losses include the loss of the primary source of income, growing debts, asset seizures, and the potential for deportation, all of which profoundly affect the financial and emotional stability of households.
What legal options do immigrants detained by ICE have?
Detained immigrants can seek legal assistance to try to prevent their deportation and present their case before an immigration judge. However, the process is costly and complex; many must demonstrate a "credible fear" of persecution in their home country to have a chance of obtaining political asylum in the U.S.
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