A Cuban national affiliated with the notorious Bloods gang, convicted of several murders in the United States, has been deported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The official report did not specify the destination country of the deportee.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Tuesday the arrest of 7,000 gang members during the first year of President Donald Trump's second term, coinciding with the date of January 20.
Among those detained was Cuban national Raúl Maceda Domínguez, identified as an illegal immigrant and Bloods associate. Founded in Los Angeles in 1972, the Bloods are notorious for their violent criminal activities. Maceda has previous convictions for multiple homicides and robbery.
ICE apprehended him on October 27, 2025, and deported him on January 6. However, the exact location of Maceda's deportation remains undisclosed.
It's unlikely that Maceda was returned to Cuba, as the Havana regime frequently refuses to accept nationals who have committed crimes in the U.S. and have been outside the island since prior to the 2017 migration agreements. Alternatively, he might have been sent to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, where the Trump administration resumed sending Cuban migrants last December, or to a third country, a strategy often employed to expel undocumented immigrants with criminal records when their home nations won't receive them.
Maceda's criminal history includes a January 2005 arrest following a shooting at a quinceañera in Florida, in which two teenagers were killed and a third was injured, according to an NBC News report. At the age of 21, he faced charges of first-degree murder and firearm possession. CiberCuba has not confirmed the duration of his sentence for these offenses.
In 2022, Maceda was again detained in Miami-Dade County on two counts of first-degree murder, third-degree aggravated robbery, three counts of firing a deadly projectile, and possession of a firearm with a false identity, as per an arrest report.
The DHS has presented Maceda alongside other alleged gang members from Venezuela, El Salvador, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Vietnam, and Cambodia, all captured by ICE. These 7,000 individuals are accused of heinous crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and vehicle theft.
The federal agency emphasized that these arrests align with President Trump's directive to "restore safety in the United States and conduct mass deportations." Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin stated that ICE is swiftly moving to apprehend more gang members and "make America safe again."
Key Information on U.S. Deportations and Gang Violence
Why was Raúl Maceda Domínguez deported from the United States?
Raúl Maceda Domínguez was deported due to his convictions for several murders and his affiliation with the Bloods gang, a notorious criminal organization.
What challenges does the U.S. face in deporting criminals to Cuba?
The U.S. often faces challenges in deporting criminals to Cuba due to the Cuban government's refusal to accept nationals who have committed crimes in the U.S. and have been outside the island since before the 2017 migration agreements.
What measures is the U.S. taking to address gang violence?
The U.S. is actively arresting gang members and conducting deportations to reduce gang violence, following directives to restore national safety.