MIAMI, United States. – Cuba received this Thursday a flight with 34 irregular migrants deported by the United States Government, according to official media reported. This group, made up of 31 men and three women, brings to 1,200 the number of Cuban citizens repatriated from different countries in the region so far in 2024, through 82 returns carried out, according to the Ministry of the Interior (MININT). .
Among the returnees, one was detained upon arrival and is under “investigation for being the alleged perpetrator of a criminal act before leaving the country,” according to the MININT.
The governments of Havana and Washington resumed deportation flights in April 2023, focused mainly on people considered “inadmissible” after being detained on the United States border with Mexico. In addition, they maintain a bilateral agreement that establishes that all migrants who arrive by sea to US territory will be returned to the Island.
The US authorities carried out this Thursday the return to #Cuba of 34 irregular migrants through the “José Martí” International Airport. There are a total of 82 returns from countries in the region in 2024, with 1,200 people. #TumbaElLoqueo pic.twitter.com/9nfTcM2qYL
— MININT_CUBA (@minint_cuba) November 1, 2024
According to recent data from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in the last four years more than 860,000 Cuban migrants have entered US territory. In fiscal year 2023, which covers from October 2023 to September 2024, 200,287 Cubans arrived, and in September 9,315 were registered, the lowest number of that entire period.
Numerous groups of Cubans try to cross the Straits of Florida to escape the harsh conditions of life on the Island. In the midst of a context of shortages of food, medical supplies and a serious inflationary crisis, many residents of the largest of the Antilles risk their lives to reach the North American country.
Despite the current immigration crisis, due to which almost half a million Cubans have entered the United States in the last three years, the parole humanitarian program launched by the Biden Administration in January 2023 has contributed to reducing the flow of rafters.
Since the beginning of 2024, returns of Cubans have also been carried out through commercial flights from the Cayman Islands, Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.
