ICE deports Cuban criminals to the island for the first time in decades
For years, the communist government refused to receive Cuban citizens with criminal records from the United States, forcing many to be deported to third countries.
Deportation reference image
For the first time in decades, the Cuban regime accepted a mass deportation flight from the United States that included citizens convicted of serious crimes, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported this February 19, 2026.
The repatriation is part of a flight that transported 170 Cubans, at least six of whom had been convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping and drug trafficking, according to ICE's official social media posts.
For decades, the communist government refused to receive Cuban citizens with criminal records from the United States, forcing many to be deported to third countries. The newspaper Diario de Cuba noted that at least four Cubans were sent to Africa in 2025 due to the regime's refusal to accept them.
Among those deported are:
- Yondeivis Wong Den-Hernandez, convicted of second-degree murder in Florida and complicity in illegal entry into the U.S. from Texas.
- Raul Duquenzne-Batista, a member of the Los Habaneros gang, with multiple convictions for aggravated assault, rape, kidnapping and illegal use of weapons in Kansas, plus 20 years in prison in Cuba for robbery and burglary.
- Alexander Padron-Marten, convicted of drug trafficking.
- Orlando Sanchez-Sarria, with convictions for grand larceny, conspiracy to kidnap, drug trafficking and use of weapons during crimes.
- Miguel Ramon Caveda Perez, convicted of rape and possession of an altered driver's license.
- Gaully Quintana Martinez, convicted of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.
ICE stressed that the measure strengthens public safety in the United States.
The media outlet Martí Noticias reported that currently some 42,000 people with final deportation orders to Cuba are still awaiting repatriation, which indicates that the recent disposition could reflect an adjustment in the migratory cooperation between both countries. For its part, the regime's pro-government portal, Cubadebate, reported that of the total of 170 deportees on the February 9 flight, 153 were men and 17 women, although it did not specify that several had felony records in the United States.
Repatriation to third countries
According to Diario de Cuba, the repatriation to third countries such as Africa occurred because both Cuba and other countries, such as Mexico, refused to receive some convicts, even after serving long sentences in the U.S. One of the documented cases was that of Juan Carlos Font Agüero, sent to Esuatini after 17 years in prison for second-degree murder.
With this measure, under the Administration of President Donald Trump, ICE achieves repatriations to Cuba in record numbers, marking a significant change after decades of refusal by the Castro regime to cooperate with the deportation of serious criminals.
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