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Four Cubans were arrested during an immigration raid carried out in the middle of the month by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security's Investigations (HSI) in the United States, resulting in the arrest of 143 immigrants in San Antonio, Texas, according to official reports.
Federal agencies confirmed in a statement released this Tuesday that the operation took place on November 16, in the north of San Antonio, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Of the 143 immigrants arrested, 51 are confirmed members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang from Venezuela, authorities stated.
In addition to the four Cubans, 98 immigrants of Venezuelan nationality were detained, along with 21 from Honduras, 14 from Mexico, two from Ecuador, and one each from Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
According to the official information, 25 of these individuals have criminal records in the U.S., 13 for felonies and 12 for misdemeanors. Their names and nationalities were not specified.
The identity and charges -if any- against the arrested Cuban citizens have also not been revealed.
All individuals were placed in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "to undergo immigration proceedings conducted in accordance with due legal process."
The operation was carried out near 5939 San Pedro Avenue, in San Antonio, "an area previously reported as a frequent meeting point for individuals believed to be associated with TdA and other criminal elements, including drug distribution, illegal possession of weapons, and human trafficking," federal authorities specified.
Last week, the field offices of the FBI and HSI in San Antonio announced the creation of a Regional Homeland Security Task Force for South Texas, aimed at “tackling the emerging threats posed by transnational criminal organizations.”
These organizations "have generated violence in communities across the country, making it nearly impossible for many to avoid the impacts of drug-related criminal enterprises and associated criminal activity," they warned.
The administration Trump officially designated the TdA as a foreign terrorist organization due to its classification as a threat to national security.
Detentions of Cuban migrants in San Antonio and other cities in Texas
In recent months, numerous Cuban citizens have been arrested in San Antonio and other cities in Texas, and held in ICE detention centers, where they are being processed for deportation.
Many of them have been arrested by ICE agents after appearing in immigration court for routine appointments to regularize their status. Dozens of stories have been documented about Cuban nationals separated from their families amid immigration processes in the U.S.
Activists and lawyers have warned that, in these cases, the lack of transparency and the discretion of ICE creates a climate of insecurity among the migrant families from the island.
At the same time, authorities have announced the capture in Texas of Cubans who have been convicted or have pending charges for crimes committed in the U.S., many of whom have active final deportation orders.
The severity of the crimes of some of these Cubans has led them to be classified among “the worst of the worst”, a classification by ICE that groups immigrants with dangerous criminal records, who pose a threat to public safety and are apprehended with the intention of permanently expelling them from the country.
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