Emiliano Martínez Pérez, a 54-year-old Cuban with a history of drug trafficking, was arrested in Texas after having an outstanding deportation order since 2000, reported the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 2.
The arrest took place on August 5 in San Saba County, during a joint operation by ICE and the local Sheriff’s Office.
County authorities had alerted federal agents on July 14 after Martínez Pérez failed to appear at a court hearing related to new charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, unlawful detention, and illegal tattoos, stemming from events that occurred in May.
The history of Cubans with the U.S. justice system dates back nearly three decades. In 1998, he was convicted of cocaine possession, and in February 2000, he received a final order of deportation.
In 2007, he was sentenced again, this time for drug trafficking. ICE did not specify in its statement what happened to Martínez Pérez after the final deportation order in 2000 or the circumstances that led to his illegal re-entry in June 2018 through Texas.
"This illegal immigrant with a criminal record was ordered deported from the United States over 26 years ago. Since then, he has been convicted of drug trafficking and is now in prison facing charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, unlawful detention, and illegal tattoos," stated David J. Venturella, acting director of ICE.
The agency also issued a immigration detention order against Martínez Pérez, with the goal of transferring him to ICE custody when he is eligible for release by local authorities.
Venturella highlighted that the case illustrates the importance of the 287(g) program, through which state and local law enforcement agencies collaborate with ICE in the identification and detention of immigrants subject to immigration measures.
The arrest occurs amid a significant increase in migration operations against Cubans. The detentions of nationals from the island by ICE
In July, another Cuban with a pending deportation order from 2007 was detained, while in April authorities arrested another citizen from the island in Miami whose order dated back to 1980.
The execution of these orders has also been facilitated by the resumption of deportations to Cuba. Since the beginning of 2026, Havana receives approximately one flight per month and has accepted individuals convicted of serious crimes.
Este caso es parte de un panorama migratorio en constante cambio. Sigue todas las novedades sobre arrestos, deportaciones y políticas migratorias en nuestra sección de
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