The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released an official statement on Tuesday highlighting 20 cases of foreign criminals deported to third countries after their home nations refused to take them back.
Among these cases are six Cuban nationals, convicted of serious offenses ranging from premeditated murder to drug trafficking and kidnapping.
The Trump Administration has been defending its policy of deporting individuals to third countries amid increasing criticism. A report by the Migration Policy Institute reveals that nearly 80% of those deported under the current U.S. policies have no prior criminal records.
Historically, the Cuban regime has selectively refused to readmit its deported citizens from the United States, especially those with serious criminal backgrounds or those who left the island before the January 2017 migration agreements.
This refusal has forced Washington to establish agreements with third countries such as South Sudan, Eswatini, Liberia, and Equatorial Guinea to carry out deportation orders.
The six Cubans named in the DHS statement are José Manuel Rodríguez-Quiñones, Enrique Arias Hierro, Roberto Mosquera-Del Peral, Jhanmay Molina Pérez, Yosmel Luis Palomino Galán, and Eugenio Douquesne-Millet.
Rodríguez-Quiñones holds convictions for first-degree murder with a weapon, cocaine trafficking, and arson in Florida. Arias Hierro was convicted of attempted murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and impersonating an officer, also in Florida. Both were sent to South Sudan in May 2025.
Mosquera-Del Peral, a member of the Latin Kings gang, was deported to Eswatini in July 2025 after being convicted of premeditated murder in the first degree and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer in Florida.
Molina Pérez carries a homicide conviction in California. Palomino Galán was sentenced for two counts of premeditated murder with a deadly weapon in Florida. Douquesne-Millet has convictions for second-degree homicide, two counts of cocaine trafficking, and conspiracy to traffic the substance in North Carolina, along with nine burglary charges in Florida. The trio was deported in August 2025.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the third-country deportation agreements with a clear message: "Thanks to these agreements, we've been able to deport some of the worst illegal foreign criminals from the United States, including those so heinous that even their own countries don't want them back, such as murderers, pedophiles, rapists, and drug traffickers."
Mullin also emphasized that the era of avoiding deportation due to lack of destination has ended: "For too long, illegal foreigners with deportation orders avoided being deported simply because DHS had nowhere to send them. With legal deportations to third countries, those days are over."
The policy was formalized in March 2025 and was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court that same year. The Tuesday statement coincides with the Trump administration's periodic "Worst of the Worst" campaign, which has been publishing lists of immigrants with criminal records who are arrested or expelled since January 2025.
The figures highlight the scale of the issue: between January 2025 and March 2026, the U.S. deported 18,453 individuals to third countries, of which 4,353 were Cubans, making them the largest national group.
In February 2026, the regime accepted a direct deportation flight with individuals convicted of serious crimes but maintains a case-by-case review that continues to leave thousands without a destination on the island. Over 42,000 Cubans have final deportation orders pending in the United States, making Cuba one of the countries with the highest number of nationals in this situation.
Deportations to third countries and the ongoing tensions with Cuba regarding migration policies form a rapidly changing landscape. Stay updated on all developments in our U.S. Immigration section.
Key Questions on U.S. Deportations and Cuban Nationals
Why does Cuba refuse to accept deported nationals?
Cuba has historically rejected the return of its citizens deported from the U.S., particularly those with severe criminal backgrounds and those who left the island before certain migration agreements.
How does the U.S. manage deportations if Cuba refuses to accept them?
The U.S. has established agreements with third countries like South Sudan, Eswatini, and others to facilitate the deportation of individuals when Cuba refuses to accept them.
What is the "Worst of the Worst" campaign?
The "Worst of the Worst" campaign is an initiative by the Trump administration to regularly publish lists of immigrants with criminal records who have been arrested or deported from the U.S.