The Cuban Yosvel Mesa Diéguez has been detained for three months by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas, despite claiming to have signed the documents for his deportation.
His mother, a resident of Miami Gardens, fears for his life due to the deterioration of his physical and mental health during the confinement.
The family is also facing a new concern: according to his mother, Yosvel told her that immigration authorities wanted to keep him in custody until March or April 2027, although there is no official confirmation of that possible timeline.
“He told me, ‘No, mom, they want to leave me until next year in March or April.’ How is that possible if he already signed?”, questioned Elsa Diéguez in statements reported by Telemundo 51.
From the detention center, Yosvel expressed his desperation at continuing to be in immigration custody without knowing when he will be expelled from the United States.
"I signed my deportation three months ago," he stated during a phone call in which he took advantage of the last minutes of credit he had available.
“I have already signed my deportation and what I want is for them to take me out of here and they don’t want to take me out,” he added.
The Cuban also stated that he had stopped appearing in the official immigration detention locator system.
“I haven’t been in the immigration system as a detained person for a week,” he stated, a claim that has not been confirmed by the authorities.
His mother fears that he might harm his life
Elsa Diéguez reported that her son has developed several health problems during his time at the detention center, including hair loss, psoriasis, and stomach discomfort.
His greatest fear, however, is related to Yosvel's mental health, who, as he explained, has been receiving medical treatment since he was little.
"I'm afraid something will happen to him, that he might try to take his own life," the mother confessed.
The possibility that your son could remain detained until March or April of next year has increased your distress, especially since he claims that he has already agreed to be deported.
From the border to a detention center in Texas
Yosvel arrived in the United States through the border with his mother and one of his brothers.
According to Elsa, she and her other son received I-220A documents, while Yosvel was initially detained by immigration authorities.
Two months later, the young man was released on bail and is awaiting an appearance before the immigration court.
"He was waiting for the residence," his mother explained.
Later, Yosvel moved from Miami to Texas, where, according to Elsa's testimony, he had an argument with his girlfriend that ended in a domestic incident for which he was arrested.
After that arrest, he was once again in ICE custody.
The report by Telemundo 51 does not specify the charges related to that incident or the outcome of the judicial process.
Nor did he identify the immigration document that Yosvel claims to have signed, so it is not possible to determine with certainty whether it was a voluntary departure or another expulsion procedure.
ICE avoids specifying when he will be deported
Telemundo 51 inquired with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to understand why the Cuban remained in detention after signing the documents for his deportation and what his country of destination would be.
In its response, DHS indicated that ICE does not comment on future deportation operations, including flight schedules, passenger lists, destinations, or details of individual cases.
The department explained that this policy is due to operational security reasons and the need to protect its agents.
The response did not clarify why Yosvel remains detained nor confirmed the possibility that he could stay in custody until March or April 2027, as he would have informed his mother.
Signing documents related to a deportation does not guarantee that the expulsion will be carried out immediately, as the process depends on each person's immigration circumstances and the necessary arrangements to facilitate the transfer.
Other Cubans have faced obstacles in returning to the island.
In July 2026, the case of a Cuban who was denied entry by the authorities of Cuba after requesting voluntary departure from the United States was made public.
The case is known in the context of intensified migration expulsions under the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to an estimate from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), cited by Telemundo 51, approximately 980,000 deportations would have taken place during the first 18 months of the Trump administration, between January 20, 2025, and July 31, 2026.
The figure corresponds to an estimate from the institute and not to an official balance confirmed by the DHS.
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