Related videos:
The case of Juan Carlos Rodríguez Romero, the Cuban arrested after a violent confrontation with agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota, took a much more serious turn.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office for the District of Minnesota confirmed that the man faces charges that could result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years, in a case that once again brings to light the complex immigration situation of many Cubans in the United States.
Rodríguez Romero, 54, was formally charged with two counts of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and an additional count of assaulting a federal agent, according to a statement released by the prosecutor's office on Monday. The weapon, according to authorities, was his own vehicle.
The events occurred on the morning of December 21, 2025, when ICE deportation officers attempted to arrest him in St. Paul. Uniformed agents initiated a traffic stop, but the Cuban refused to comply with orders and fled the scene. In his attempt to escape, he accelerated the car towards agents on foot, prompting a chase that ended in chaos and violence.
After colliding with two parked vehicles and losing control of the car, the officers attempted to stop him again. Instead of surrendering, Rodríguez Romero accelerated again toward the officers. Amid that second attempt to flee, one of the agents fired his weapon while the Cuban struck another officer with the vehicle.
The struggle didn't end there. When he was finally subdued, Rodríguez Romero bit the hand of one of the agents, causing a bleeding wound. Two ICE officers had to be taken to the hospital with bruised ribs, a dislocated finger, and the bite, according to details provided by the federal prosecutor's office.
Currently, the Cuban remains in detention awaiting a hearing, as the judicial process against him moves forward. If found guilty, he could face a sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a possibility that marks a point of no return in his immigration case.
The incident was initially reported by ICE on social media, where it was stated that Rodríguez Romero had legally entered the United States in 2024 through the CBP One application.
The arrest and subsequent charges occur in a context of strong anti-immigrant rhetoric, where federal authorities have used such cases to reinforce their criticisms of the Biden administration's immigration policies.
The Prosecutor's Office reminded, however, that a formal charge does not equate to a conviction and that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Filed under: