A 19-year-old Cuban, son of a Baptist pastor who denounced religious persecution in Cuba, will remain in custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as he faces deportation proceedings, after an immigration judge scheduled a new hearing for approximately two weeks from now.
The case has sparked controversy between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), which questions both the criminal charges brought against the young man and the official account of his entry into the country.
According to a report by The Christian Post on October 30, the young man appeared before an immigration judge, who scheduled another hearing without providing any information on a definitive resolution regarding his possible deportation.
The boy has been in immigration custody since June 25, when he was arrested by police in Florida following a traffic violation.
DHS mentions three drug charges, but an NGO claims they were dismissed
In statements to the U.S. media, a spokesperson for the DHS stated that the Cuban, identified as Daniel Arcadis Solano Jaume, had been charged with three felony offenses related to drug possession.
However, Christian Solidarity Worldwide acknowledged that those accusations were initially made, but stated that they were later dismissed by a judge.
"Therefore, they should not be used as legal grounds or as any type of justification for deportation," stated a spokesperson for CSW.
The organization added that, according to the young man's father, he has no criminal convictions and the only pending issue is a traffic violation.
The published information does not include the court ruling that would allow for an independent verification of the dismissal of the three charges. It also does not specify when they were filed or dismissed.
Conflicting versions regarding their entry into the United States
The DHS stated that Solano Jaume entered illegally through Nogales, Arizona, on August 30, 2023, and was subsequently released within the country during the administration of Joe Biden.
CSW rejected that description and explained that the family used the border appointment procedure available at that time for Cuban and Nicaraguan citizens who were in Mexico.
"The family went through this process, traveled to Mexico, attended their appointment in Nogales, Arizona, and was admitted into the United States by the Border Patrol," the organization explained.
He also clarified that the young man was a minor when he arrived accompanied by his parents and that he subsequently began the process to apply for permanent residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act.
The DHS, for its part, stated that having a pending application for immigration benefits does not automatically confer legal status.
"All of their claims will be heard by an immigration judge, and they will receive due process," stated the department spokesperson.
A family that fled religious persecution in Cuba
The case is preceded by harassment allegations against the young man's father, who served as a Baptist pastor in Santiago de Cuba.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Cuban authorities subjected him to surveillance, interrogations, and threats related to his religious activities for years.
The family left Cuba in 2023 after military officials attempted to enlist the then-teenager in the military service registry, according to the organization’s report.
As explained earlier, the young man completed his secondary education in Miami, started working, and had plans to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
Her application for permanent residency was denied in October by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and her lawyers filed an appeal to challenge that decision.
CSW warns that a possible deportation to Cuba could expose him to reprisals due to the history of religious persecution against his family.
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