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The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained the Cuban citizen Yordan Rodríguez, who has a criminal record that includes possession and trafficking of drugs, and will face deportation proceedings.
Agents from the ICE Office in New Orleans arrested Rodríguez, who, in addition to those offenses, has been convicted of assault and resisting authority, according to an official statement on the social media platform X.
"Introducing poison into our communities is the quickest way to be expelled from them," the agency warned.
The detention of Rodríguez is part of the hardline policy of the Donald Trump administration against undocumented immigrants who have prior convictions or are accused of serious crimes, who are arrested and held in ICE custody until their deportation from the U.S.
In just seven months, there were more than 149,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants carried out by ICE and other federal and state agencies.
The federal administration also set a new record for deportations, averaging 1,435 illegal immigrants per day in the last two weeks, the highest figure in the country's recent history.
An unspecified number of Cubans with criminal records or pending charges have been arrested in recent months, and then deported to the island or to third countries.
But there have also been numerous cases of immigrants from Cuba with irregular status in the U.S. who, despite having no criminal record or final deportation order, have been held in ICE detention centers and are either facing an expulsion process or have already been deported.
According to figures from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), by the end of 2024, more than 42,000 Cubans had final deportation orders in the U.S. The regime in Havana has refused to accept those with criminal records or who emigrated before January 2017.
Due to the reluctance of the Cuban government, Washington has deported immigrants from the island to third countries. Three ineligible Cubans with extensive criminal records were sent to South Sudan and the Kingdom of Eswatini in Africa, while an unspecified number have been transferred on deportation flights to Mexico.
However, as part of the existing bilateral migration agreements, since the beginning of President Trump's second term in January, more than 580 Cuban immigrants have been returned to the island by air.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Detentions and Deportations of Cubans by ICE
Why was Yordan Rodríguez arrested by ICE in New Orleans?
Yordan Rodríguez, a Cuban citizen, was arrested by ICE due to his criminal record, which includes possession and trafficking of drugs, as well as charges of assault and resistance to authority. His detention is part of the government's tough policy under Donald Trump against undocumented immigrants with prior convictions or serious crimes.
What policy is ICE implementing regarding Cuban immigrants with criminal records?
ICE is implementing a strict deportation policy under the Trump administration, focused on undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Cuban immigrants with convictions or pending charges are detained and face deportation proceedings, even if Havana refuses to accept them.
What happens if Cuba does not accept its citizens deported by the United States?
When Cuba refuses to accept its citizens with criminal records deported by the United States, Washington has chosen to send these individuals to third countries with which it has migration cooperation agreements, such as South Sudan and Eswatini.
How many detentions of undocumented immigrants has ICE carried out so far this year?
In the first seven months of the year, ICE and other agencies have made over 149,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants, with a significant increase in recent weeks due to pressure from the White House to implement stricter measures.
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