The Cuban pianist Andy García has been in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since August 15, as confirmed this Friday by his younger brother Yandy García and the Cuban comedian Carnota through their social media.
The call for solidarity was accompanied by a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe organized by Yandy García-Palacio from Miami, with a goal of $45,000 to cover legal expenses and extraordinary costs arising from the immigration process. At the time of publication, the campaign had raised $40,117 from 589 donors.
The musician Yandy, brother of the pianist, spread the news on Instagram with a direct message: "Since August 15, Andy has been in the custody of ICE. His lawyers are already working to secure his release and bring him back home, and we are doing everything possible alongside his legal team, friends, colleagues, and our community."
The young man described the personal and professional impact of the detention in an Instagram story: "Andy has always been there for me and for our family. He is my brother, my mentor, my role model, and my musical partner. We grew up making music together and dreaming of everything we could achieve."
Both brothers make up the duo García Brothers, a project that fuses Cuban jazz, Latin music, and contemporary pop based in Miami. Yandy noted that Andy's absence has stalled tours, recording projects, and professional opportunities that the pianist had worked hard to achieve.
Andy García is a musician of renowned international stature: a pianist, composer, producer, and singer, he has collaborated with international artists. The legendary musician Chucho Valdés described him as "the best pianist of the new Cuban generation," according to information from ArtBurst Miami.
The available sources do not specify the specific reason for the arrest or the facility where he is being held.
Various artists have joined the call for help for Andy. José Ernesto González, the comedian known as Carnota, a friend of the pianist, wrote a message urging his followers to support García's process.
"Any help, no matter how small, adds up and will be of great support for him and his family," he said on Instagram.
For her part, the singer Diana Fuentes specified that Andy has been living in the United States for three years and has no criminal record.
"But the absurd and terrible times we are living in literally make the innocent pay for the guilty. We continue to face the nightmare of absurd policies that are completely against the human rights we talk about so much," he argued on Facebook.
The detention of Cuban musicians by ICE has become a recurring phenomenon in the context of the stricter immigration policies of the U.S. administration.
Previous cases included the reggaeton artist El Chulo, arrested in January of this year with a pending deportation order since 2018, and the rapper Insurrecto, detained in December 2025 following a traffic accident in Florida.
Yandy García summarized the campaign's objective with a phrase that captures the sentiment of those supporting the musician: "Our goal is simply to help Andy during this process and bring him home."
Related videos:
Filed under: