A group of Cuban immigrants cross the Rio Grande last April. Photo: Adrees Latif / Reuters.
On November 28, the United States immigration agency (ICE) made a digital error that impacts the future of dozens of Cubans who have requested asylum in the United States. They published on their website the names, dates of birth, nationalities and addresses of 6,251 foreigners, including those of dozens of Cubans currently in prison awaiting a decision on their asylum request.
But not only that. During the negotiations with the Cuban side, an ICE official who coordinated the return of Cuban citizens with deportation orders said that some names on the list would be suspended for the moment while this breach of confidentiality was resolved. With this, the authorities of the Island were put on alert about the identity of these people.
ICE has apologized to those affected. In a personal letter to each one, he has informed them that their cases are on hold for a month to give them time to redesign with their lawyers the judicial strategy to follow after the confidential disclosure, he said. the Los Angeles Times, which revealed the scandal for the first time last Monday night.
But affected Cubans remain concerned that the deportations have not been cancelled. “We do not understand how after this information is published, instead of giving us support, how are they going to deport us?” he told the newspaper. miami herald Bernal Castillo, currently in an ICE detention center for immigrants in Pompano Beach, north of Miami.
This Tuesday several Miami lawyers commented on the scandal. “These people have valid reasons to be afraid if they are sent back because Cuba has a behavior pattern of punishing its deserters. Now they already know their names and they are waiting for them, ”he told OnCuba attorney Marilyn Santana.
The Cuban government has not ruled on the matter. On the other hand, ICE has not informed about the fate of the other migrants of other nationalities whose names were also accidentally leaked. At least for now, the scandal has focused only on the situation of the Cubans.
