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The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced this Saturday the deportation of the Cuban Henry Negrín Bolaño, 33 years old, from New Orleans, after serving a sentence in the country for a crime of assault under "extreme emotional disturbance."
The agency detailed on its X account that the young man had been sentenced to five years in prison and was subsequently placed in immigration custody.
Public documents from Clay County, Indiana confirm that Negrín was booked on September 2nd for “immigration hold,” before being transferred for deportation to an unspecified country.
In recent months, the Donald Trump administration has tightened immigration policies by sending Cubans to distant and hostile locations such as Eswatini or South Sudan, but ICE has announced that it has agreements with Uganda and even the megajail in El Salvador, exposing those deported to violence, repression, and extreme conditions.
In the image released by ICE, the Cuban is seen in front of a plane, minutes before his deportation, as part of a removal operation conducted by the New Orleans office.
The case of Negrín comes just hours after ICE included two other Cubans in the list of "the worst of the worst" for serious crimes of homicide and assault committed in Texas and Michigan.
In both cases, the agency categorized them as "violent foreign criminals," reinforcing the message of zero tolerance towards immigrants with a criminal record.
The U.S. immigration policy toward foreigners with criminal records has tightened arrest and deportation procedures, in a context where thousands of Cubans are awaiting the resolution of their legal processes.
Political and legal context
In June, a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States gave the White House the green light to carry out deportations even to third countries, weakening the legal protections that limited the removal of immigrants to places where they could face the risk of torture or persecution.
Although Cuba has accepted repatriation flights for its nationals, U.S. immigration policy remains a source of tension and controversy, especially among those who question the lack of guarantees for the deported.
Frequently asked questions about the deportation of Henry Negrín Bolaño and ICE's immigration policy
Why was Henry Negrín Bolaño deported from New Orleans?
Henry Negrín Bolaño was deported by ICE after serving a five-year sentence for a crime of assault under extreme emotional disturbance. Following his release, he was placed in immigration custody for deportation as part of the zero-tolerance policy towards immigrants with criminal records.
Where was Henry Negrín Bolaño deported to?
The exact location to which Henry Negrín Bolaño was deported was not specified by ICE. In some cases, ICE has deported immigrants to third countries such as Uganda or El Salvador, due to migration cooperation agreements, especially when the country of origin refuses to accept them.
Which countries accept deported Cubans with criminal records?
Although Cuba has accepted some repatriation flights, it often refuses to accept nationals with criminal records. In these cases, the United States has deported Cubans to third countries such as Eswatini, South Sudan, and Mexico. This practice has been authorized by a Supreme Court ruling that supports deportation to countries other than the country of origin.
What impact does ICE's deportation policy have on the Cuban community in the U.S.?
The deportation policy of ICE has created significant tension in the Cuban community in the U.S., where many immigrants fear being deported, even those without a criminal record. Over 42,000 Cubans have final deportation orders, but the Cuban regime refuses to accept many of them. This has led to the consideration of deportations to third countries, further exacerbating uncertainty for immigrants and their families.
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