The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed on Monday the capture of a Cuban national who allegedly concealed his ties to the Cuban government when entering the United States. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit in Miami identified the individual as Daniel Morejón García, 57, through a social media post.
Morejón García was taken into custody at his Miami residence last Friday following an ICE HSI investigation. Authorities focused on the false statements he allegedly made upon his arrival in the U.S., neglecting to disclose his affiliation with the Cuban Communist Party. Local 10 reported that investigators secured official Cuban government documents and sourced reliable information indicating Morejón García's omissions.
The investigation revealed that he supposedly failed to report his membership in the Cuban Communist Party and his role as an agent for the Cuban Ministry of the Interior on his immigration forms. The FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) assisted in the operation.
According to the press release, Morejón García also allegedly led the National Defense Council in Cuba's Artemisa region and participated in the Rapid Response Brigades. These civilian groups, organized by the government, are tasked with supporting authorities during social unrest or protests. Authorities claim that during the island-wide protests on July 11, 2021, Morejón García engaged in acts of violence against demonstrators as part of his duties.
Daniel Morejón on Repressor List
Daniel Morejón García is listed online as a repressor involved in crimes against humanity. He faces accusations of physical abuse and assaults, alongside providing advice and participating in repressive actions. Morejón García is directly linked to the arrest of three July 11 protesters who are currently serving prison sentences.
As noted in an online profile, a video shows Morejón García dismounting his motorcycle on July 11, 2021, and assaulting Armando Martínez Luis in Las Cañas, Artemisa, for demanding freedom. After retaliating in defense of Martínez Luis, who was sentenced to eight years, Rolando González Arévalo and Richael Cantún Morales were also detained and later sentenced to six and seven years, respectively. The trial for these three individuals took place on October 19, 2021, and they are imprisoned in Guanajay.
The profile further details that a whistleblower pointed out Morejón García, who had been the director of the Las Cañas feed factory, a Communist Party of Cuba member, and a collaborator or officer of State Security, was residing at his daughter Dhayma Morejón's home in Miami. Another source from Artemisa, a neighbor of Morejón, confirmed he was an armed State Security agent and served as the administrator of Almacenes Universales, a military enterprise under GAESA that controls Cuban employment in Mariel's Special Development Zone.
Eight months ago, exiled activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia warned of Morejón's presence in the U.S. Currently, he remains in ICE custody awaiting deportation.
ICE encourages the public to report suspected human rights violators traveling to or entering the U.S. by calling their tip line at 866-DHS-2423 (866-347-2434) or completing an online form. Reports can be made anonymously.
In March, former Cuban Intelligence member Tomás Emilio Hernández Cruz, 71, was arrested for allegedly securing U.S. permanent residency through fraudulent means. More recently, last weekend, Juana Orquídea Acanda Rodríguez, a 62-year-old former Cuban judge, was deported to Cuba after being accused of hiding her active membership in the Cuban Communist Party upon entering the U.S. Less than a year and a half ago, Acanda Rodríguez was honored on national television for her "loyalty to the revolution."
Key Questions About the Arrest of Daniel Morejón García
Who is Daniel Morejón García?
Daniel Morejón García is a Cuban national recently arrested by ICE in Miami for allegedly lying about his ties to the Cuban Communist Party and Ministry of the Interior when entering the United States.
What charges does Morejón García face?
He is accused of making fraudulent statements upon entering the U.S., failing to disclose his affiliations with the Cuban Communist Party and his role as an agent of the Ministry of the Interior.
What role did Morejón García allegedly play during the July 11, 2021 protests in Cuba?
Authorities allege that Morejón García participated in suppressing the protests by engaging in violence against demonstrators as part of his duties in the Rapid Response Brigades.