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A 32-year-old Cuban who recently obtained permanent residency in the United States was found while smuggling immigrants and was captured in the state of Arizona, official sources reported this Tuesday.
The events occurred on August 27, when agents from the Brian A. Terry station in Naco, Arizona, thwarted a human smuggling attempt following a vehicle chase near Bisbee, in the same southern state, reported a statement from the Chief of the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol, Sean McGoffin, on the social network X.
As a result of the operation, authorities arrested the Cuban -whose name has not been revealed- who was driving a vehicle in which he introduced two unaccompanied minor foreign nationals and one adult man, all of Mexican origin, as well as a 19-year-old Ecuadorian woman.
The four passengers, who were in an irregular situation in the U.S., were also detained and subsequently expelled from the country, McGoffin specified.
The agents conducted background checks on the Cuban citizen, which revealed that he resided in Avondale, Arizona, after having illegally entered the country in 2022 and requested immigration protection during that encounter with the Border Patrol.
The detainee faces a series of charges for human trafficking and will be presented before a federal court for prosecution. If found guilty, he could face a significant prison sentence and confront the possible revocation of his immigration status, emphasized the chief of the Border Patrol.
Discovery, escape, and pursuit
On the night of August 27, using the surveillance technology installed along the border wall that divides the U.S. and Mexico, Border Patrol officials detected several individuals illegally entering U.S. territory through the desert.
The agents patrolling near the area of the alleged incursion responded to the scene and observed a recent model Toyota Tacoma leaving a corridor commonly used by human traffickers, the official communication reported.
The authorities attempted to stop the vehicle to carry out an immigration check, but it sped away, after which a chase ensued.
Other agents from the Patrol positioned further ahead on the road placed spikes to deflate tires, which, when crushed by the vehicle, prevented it from continuing its escape, thereby ending the pursuit.
Several of the occupants of the vehicle fled on foot into the desert, where they were later apprehended, while the Cuban driving the truck exited the vehicle and approached the agents, who arrested him without any further incidents, the source indicated.
Cubans before U.S. justice for human trafficking
The cases of Cubans detained and brought before the U.S. justice system for human trafficking have been on the rise.
The most shocking fact emerged at the beginning of this month when the Department of Justice announced that 12 Cuban citizens are accused of being part of an international criminal network dedicated to human trafficking, asylum fraud, and money laundering, which operated for over four years, during which it illegally brought thousands of people into the country.
At the end of August, a man originally from Cuba, sentenced in 2024 for human smuggling, was deported after being arrested again by immigration authorities, according to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office. The individual had been found guilty last year of attempting to illegally smuggle 29 people, including several children, in the back of a tractor-trailer.
Bárbaro Reyes Gómez, 46 years old, was arrested on August 22 by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in San Antonio, Texas, after being convicted of human trafficking of illegal immigrants in Eagle Pass, a crime for which he served a sentence of 13 months in prison.
A Florida court sentenced Pedro César Ramos Cruz, 33 years old, to 10 years of federal prison for smuggling undocumented immigrants into the U.S., re-entry into the country after being expelled, and possession of a firearm by a foreign national.
Humberto Yosvany Arriola-Rivero, 30 years old, will spend almost a decade behind bars in a federal prison, after being convicted of conspiracy for human trafficking and sexual assault against an immigrant, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.
Frequently asked questions about human trafficking and the immigration situation of Cubans in the U.S.
Why was the Cuban arrested in Arizona?
The Cuban was arrested for human smuggling, as he was found transporting illegal immigrants in a vehicle in Arizona. This act was detected by the Border Patrol following a vehicular chase in which the Cuban attempted to flee.
What consequences does the Cuban arrested for human trafficking face?
The Cuban faces federal charges for human trafficking, which could lead to a significant prison sentence. In addition, he may face the revocation of his immigration status in the United States.
What happens to undocumented immigrants who are detained in the U.S.?
Undocumented immigrants who are detained are generally expelled from the country. In the specific reported case, the passengers in the Cuban's vehicle were detained and subsequently deported. U.S. authorities maintain a zero-tolerance policy regarding illegal immigration, particularly in cases of human trafficking.
How does U.S. immigration policy affect Cubans?
The immigration policy of the U.S., especially under the current administration of Donald Trump, has tightened measures against illegal immigration. This has resulted in an increase in the detention and deportation of Cubans, many of whom face difficulties in regularizing their status or returning to their home country due to the Cuban regime's refusal to accept them.
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