Cuban-American immigration attorney Ismael Labrador, based in Miami, expressed his disappointment with President Donald Trump's deportation policies, for whom he voted in the 2024 elections, after one of his cousins was expelled to Cuba without his ability to prevent it.
Labrador explained that he voted for Trump in 2024 because he hoped the authorities would focus on deporting individuals with criminal backgrounds, but he acknowledged that he never imagined an immigration offensive of such magnitude.
“[We wanted to have a safe United States. We never thought it would go against the whole world. This is not what I voted for],” stated the lawyer, according to an interview with the BBC, published on October 30 and subsequently reported by other U.S. and international media outlets.
According to journalist Will Grant's report, Labrador acknowledged that the Trump administration took him by surprise due to the scale of the immigration operations.
He could not prevent his cousin's deportation
According to the BBC, Labrador's cousin was detained by immigration authorities and subsequently expelled from the country, despite the lawyer's efforts to prevent it.
"It’s difficult when you’re up against so many resources," lamented the lawyer while referring to the challenges he faced.
The report, also referenced by International Business Times, does not specify when the deportation took place, what the relative's immigration status was, nor the legal grounds for their expulsion.
Labrador pointed out that the arrests and deportations have raised concerns among Cuban families, especially those whose members do not yet have permanent residency.
The lawyer warned that those without a residency card or Green Card may be exposed to immigration measures, an observation he made while describing the situation he sees among his clients.
According to what he explained to the BBC, his office regularly receives family members of detained immigrants seeking advice to attempt to secure their release or prevent their deportation.
Although the increase in these cases has heightened the demand for their services, Labrador acknowledged that they would prefer families not to be going through such circumstances.
The White House defends its deportation policy
The Trump administration insists that immigration operations are in line with one of the president’s key campaign promises: to strengthen the enforcement of immigration laws and increase deportations.
A spokesperson for the White House defended the results of this policy to the BBC and stated that more than three million undocumented immigrants had left the United States as a result of government measures.
For its part, ICE maintains that its operations target foreigners who have violated U.S. immigration laws and remain in the country unlawfully.
These statements correspond to the general defense of the administration's immigration policies, not to a specific response regarding the deportation of Labrador's relative.
The majority of Cuban Americans in Miami-Dade reject certain deportations
The lawyer's statements align with a growing disagreement regarding immigration measures within the Cuban-American community in South Florida.
According to the FIU Cuba Poll 2026, 76% of Cuban-Americans surveyed in Miami-Dade disapprove of the increase in deportations of Cubans without legal status and with no criminal record.
However, that rejection does not necessarily imply leaving the Republican Party.
The same study, conducted between September 4 and 29 with 1,004 Cuban American adults from Miami-Dade, found that 68% intended to vote for Republican candidates in the November legislative elections.
Labrador had warned about the arrests of Cuban migrants
The lawyer has previously addressed the migration challenges faced by Cubans in the United States.
In May 2025, he warned about the detention of immigrants with I-220A documents upon exiting court hearings, and expressed concern about the consequences of these operations for those trying to regularize their status.
In February 2026, he explained the possible legal alternatives for Cubans with criminal records and old deportation orders, clarifying that each case requires an individual assessment.
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