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A Cuban citizen is among the immigrants detained this week by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in an operation aimed at identifying and capturing individuals with a history of sexual violence and serious crimes against minors.
The arrest is part of a federal offensive that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as an effort to remove “the worst predators of minors” from the streets.
In an official statement released on November 14, DHS reported that among those detained is Jorge Luis Rodríguez-Pérez, originally from Cuba, who was convicted in Los Angeles for performing oral sex on a 14-year-old girl, in addition to facing prior charges for theft. Authorities described him as a “criminal illegal immigrant,” emphasizing the seriousness of his background.
“Just yesterday, ICE arrested pedophiles, kidnappers, and abusers of illegal immigrant minors,” said a DHS spokesperson. “President Trump and Secretary Noem are swiftly getting dangerous predators off our streets... These wretched individuals should never have been allowed to set foot in the United States.”
Rodríguez-Pérez was arrested alongside immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, all of whom had convictions for sexual assault, kidnapping, or assault on minors. The operation is part of a stricter immigration policy aimed at expediting the expulsion of foreigners with criminal records.
Third Cuban arrested for sexual offenses in less than a week
The case comes just days after ICE agents in Miami announced the arrest of two Cubans with serious sexual offense records, highlighting a troubling trend for the island's migrant community in the United States.
On Saturday, authorities reported the arrest of Rolquis Torres Ricardo, a Cuban with convictions for child sexual abuse and domestic violence. He was captured at his home in Miami and taken to the detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz, where he awaits a deportation flight.
A few hours later, ICE confirmed the capture of Allen Gómez, 57 years old, labeled by the agency as a “sexual predator.” Gómez had been convicted of lewd and obscene acts with a minor, in addition to facing charges for failing to register as a sexual offender.
A message to the Cuban migrant community
Although ICE insists that its priority is "to protect public safety" and to focus on individuals with violent backgrounds, these operations often generate concern among undocumented Cubans who live in fear of being detained for minor offenses or incomplete immigration processes.
The agency reiterated that it will continue to carry out targeted arrests of foreigners with criminal records, a message that comes at a time of increasing uncertainty for thousands of Cubans facing immigration processes in the United States.
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