The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported a Cuban citizen with an extensive criminal history this Monday as part of a new operation targeting undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes, as exclusively reported by the conservative outlet Townhall.
This involves Francisco Matos Izquierdo, who had prior convictions for assault, cocaine trafficking, and aggravated assault, as well as having been previously arrested for domestic violence and drug possession, according to the published information.
The expulsion of the Cuban was part of a flight that also deported four other immigrants with significant criminal records.
Among them is the Guatemalan Diego Cardona, convicted of homicide and identified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a member of the Calle 18 gang; the Mexican Andrés González Hernández, with convictions for robbery, theft, assault, sexual assault, and breaking and entering, also identified as a member of the Paisas gang; another Mexican citizen, José Manuel Ibarra Sánchez, convicted of domestic violence and arson; and the Ecuadorian Junior Gabriel Arcentales Villavicencio, sentenced for crimes related to drug trafficking.
DHS: "The worst of the worst"
The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin, wrote on X that "U.S. citizenship is a privilege. If you come here illegally, you are breaking the law."
For her part, the DHS Under Secretary, Lauren Bis, stated that such operations are part of the administration's strategy to expedite the deportation of immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
"Every day, ICE deports more illegal criminal immigrants, the worst of the worst. Just yesterday, we deported murderers, sexual assailants, arsonists, drug traffickers, and gang members," he stated.
The official added that, under the administration of Donald Trump and the leadership of Mullin, immigration authorities have greater leeway to carry out arrests and deportations.
The deportations of Cubans are increasing
The deportation of Matos Izquiedo takes place amidst a tightening of immigration policy toward Cuban citizens.
During the first six months of 2026, the United States deported 740 Cubans on 25 repatriation flights, while in June alone more than 1,600 nationals from the island received deportation orders, according to DHS data.
U.S. authorities are also reporting a significant increase in ICE actions against Cuban citizens. According to official figures, the arrests of Cubans rose by 463% between late 2024 and early 2026, while over 42,000 remain under final deportation orders pending execution.
Campaign to promote voluntary departure
At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security is conducting a public campaign to encourage the voluntary departure of immigrants in irregular situations.
This Tuesday, the agency posted the message on its social media: "Don't hesitate to repatriate!"
The initiative aims to reduce the number of people subjected to deportation procedures through voluntary self-deportation.
Almost a million deportations
According to figures released by Townhall, a spokesperson for the DHS stated that by July 12, over 985,000 undocumented immigrants had been deported since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term, and authorities had made more than one million immigration-related arrests.
The official added that more than three million people are estimated to have left the United States during that period, including approximately 2.2 million who did so voluntarily.
On its part, reported that the DHS has carried out more than 350,000 deportations so far in the fiscal year 2026.
Secretary Mullin also stated that the government's objective is to remove immigrants convicted of serious crimes from the streets.
"We are committed to taking these drug traffickers, pedophiles, scammers, and other criminal immigrants off our streets," he concluded.
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