Jeffrey Dinise, head of the Miami Sector of the Border Patrol, announced the recent arrest of an undocumented Cuban immigrant who has a past conviction for methamphetamine trafficking from 11 years ago, a crime for which he served time in prison. Although Dinise did not reveal the individual's name in his social media post on X, he did confirm that the person was convicted of methamphetamine distribution in 2014.
The report specified that the individual served more than six and a half years in prison, totaling 80 months. In the closing remarks of the announcement, the border authority confirmed that the Cuban national will be deported.
In recent weeks, several Cubans with criminal records have been detained by Florida authorities. Back in March, the arrests of Manuel Ismael Pérez and Osiel Rodríguez-González made headlines. Manuel Ismael Pérez, a registered sex offender who illegally entered South Florida from Cuba several decades ago, was apprehended in an operation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Key West. His record includes sexual offenses against a minor, aggravated assault, and drug trafficking.
The other Cuban, Osiel Rodríguez-González, is unlawfully residing in the U.S. and has a history of domestic violence and cocaine sales, as well as being convicted of animal cruelty for beating and strangling a dog.
Deportation of Cubans Under Trump's Administration
Since Donald Trump took office on January 20th, there have been reports of only two deportation flights involving Cubans: one with 104 deportees on February 27 and another with 60 individuals returned to the island on March 27. However, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) mentioned a third flight—actually the first one—conducted on January 23, which was not reported by official media.
At the beginning of March, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister, stated that the Trump administration had not yet discussed with the Cuban government the issue of migration or any potential increase in deportations of Cuban citizens. "There has been no such request from the U.S. government. We have not yet sat down to discuss whether that would be possible," he told Reuters.
Migration negotiations between the two countries have seen progress and setbacks over the years. The most recent bilateral meeting between Cuba and the U.S. regarding migration took place in December 2024, before the start of President Donald Trump's second term.
Currently, the situation remains uncertain: The measures implemented by Trump since taking office have rendered approximately 550,000 Cubans deportable.
Key Questions on Cuban Deportations and Arrests in Florida
Who is the undocumented Cuban recently arrested in Miami?
The individual is an undocumented Cuban immigrant with a previous conviction for methamphetamine trafficking in 2014, serving over six years in prison.
What has been the impact of Trump's administration on Cuban deportations?
Since Donald Trump assumed the presidency, approximately 550,000 Cubans have become deportable due to the measures enacted during his administration.