A group of 116 Cuban irregular migrants He arrived on the island this Thursday from USA on board the second deportation flight so far this year, according to the information provided by the Ministry of the Interior (Minint).
The group made up of 88 men and 28 women was transferred to the José Martí international airport in Havana, which, together with the 170 deported a week ago, brings to 286 the number of Cubans returned so far in 2026 from the neighboring northern nation.
According to the official statement, the new deportation was carried out “in compliance with bilateral immigration agreements.”
In turn, the Minint emphasizes in its communication from Facebook the country’s commitment to “regular, safe and orderly migration”, and avoids the risks involved in illegal departures from the country.
Change of course?
Although deportation flights from the United States are not new, this Wednesday the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) confirmed that the operation that opened the transfers this year included for the first time migrants convicted of serious crimes.
Until now, it was a possibility that the Cuban authorities had rejected, and that kept irregular migrants convicted of murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking, among other accusations, in American prisons.
The US carries out “record” deportations to Cuba and includes those convicted of serious crimes
The most recent repatriation flight would also be marked by a change of course. Information published in digital media indicates that some of the deportees who arrived in Havana were made to believe that they were being taken to Mexico.
The same information shows that, unlike the previous flight, this time none of the expatriates had violated the laws and they had been residing in the United States for between four and five years.
Since the current United States government began to promote a more aggressive immigration policy, several Cubans have been taken to third countries, especially Mexico.
Agreements revived
Until now, Cuba maintains agreements with the United States on immigration matters that, among other things, determine the steps for the deportation of illegal migrants in that country.
Despite this, the deportation flights that had been suspended since 2020, but were resumed at the end of April 2023, mainly for Cubans considered “inadmissible”, after being detained on the border with Mexico.
Data from the US authorities indicate that in the fiscal period 2025 (from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025), a total of 33,056 Cubans arrived in the United States.
This represents a notable drop compared to the previous period (271,615), when the Trump administration implemented a new policy towards migrants.
For its part, the Minint reported that throughout last year Cuba received 1,669 irregular migrants from the United States and other nations in the region.
