The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to ramp up its efforts against undocumented immigrants deemed among the "worst foreign criminals." Over the Thanksgiving weekend, ICE apprehended a group with serious criminal backgrounds, including two Cuban nationals.
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a list of illegal immigrants with prior convictions for crimes such as rape, child sexual abuse, murder, drug trafficking, or assault. The individuals listed, including the two Cubans, are currently detained by ICE, which is processing their deportation from the United States.
Among the detainees are Cubans Mario Ynfante Querol and Cuello García-Alliant (also known as Aliant García Cuello, according to online police records).
The DHS statement reveals that Ynfante Querol has a criminal record for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim between the ages of 13 and 15 in Wyoming, Michigan. Public records indicate that he is 44 years old and was convicted of this offense in April 2002 in Kent County. He is registered as a sex offender.
Meanwhile, García Cuello has convictions for assault and cocaine possession in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The DHS did not specify whether both individuals have completed their sentences for the crimes committed in the United States.
These cases, labeled among "the worst of the worst," bolster ICE's narrative that its primary focus is to remove dangerous immigrants with criminal backgrounds, such as sexual offenses and extreme violence, from American communities. The goal is to deport them either to their countries of origin or third countries if their home nations refuse to accept them back.
A DHS spokesperson stated that "70% of all ICE arrests involve illegal immigrants who are either convicted or accused of a crime in the United States." This statement comes amidst growing criticism from various societal sectors, human rights activists, and legal experts regarding the arbitrary detentions and deportations of individuals with ongoing immigration processes and no criminal records.
In recent weeks, numerous arrests of Cuban nationals with criminal histories have been recorded as part of the Trump administration's stringent immigration strategy. All remain in ICE custody pending deportation.
The U.S. faces challenges in deporting certain migrants to Cuba due to Havana's reluctance to accept nationals who committed crimes and served sentences in U.S. prisons, especially if they left Cuba before the 2017 migration agreements.
Conversely, other immigrants have been accepted back to the island through monthly air operations conducted by ICE, reinstated in April 2023 under the Biden administration. The Trump administration has continued these flights. In November 2025, during his tenure, 139 individuals were returned to Cuba, bringing the total number of Cubans deported by the U.S. this year to 1,370.
Key Questions Surrounding ICE Detentions of Cuban Nationals
What are the charges against Mario Ynfante Querol?
Mario Ynfante Querol has a criminal record for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim aged between 13 and 15 years in Wyoming, Michigan.
What crimes has Cuello García-Alliant been convicted of?
Cuello García-Alliant has been convicted of assault and cocaine possession in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
How does ICE prioritize the deportation of immigrants?
ICE prioritizes the deportation of immigrants with dangerous criminal backgrounds, including those with sexual offenses and violent crimes, to remove them from American communities.
Why are deportations to Cuba challenging?
Deportations to Cuba are challenging because the Cuban government is hesitant to accept nationals who committed crimes and served sentences in U.S. prisons, especially those who left the island before the 2017 migration agreements.