The Cuban government has not accepted any of its repatriated nationals on commercial or charter flights from the United States by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) so far in fiscal year 2022, which began on October 1, ICE told CNN.
The US immigration authorities indicated that, as of March 26, 20 repatriated Cuban citizens have not been able to return to the island and in fiscal year 2021 the removal of approximately 95 Cubans was completed.
“ICE notes that its removal statistics include voluntary returns, voluntary departures, and withdrawals,” they said in the statement. They added that as of March 26 there are more than 40,000 Cubans who have been ordered expelled from the US by an immigration judge. On Wednesday, CNN consulted the Cuban government as well as the embassy of that country in Washington about the reason for these actions, but has not yet received a response.
Havana has always insisted on blaming Washington, saying that it “incentivizes” irregular travel and maintains that a series of US sanctions have encouraged many residents to jump into the sea, putting their lives in danger.
deportations increase
At the beginning of 2022, the authorities of at least four neighboring countries of the Island of Cuba have returned 1,536 repatriated citizens who left the country irregularly during 2021.
During the Round Table program last Thursday, the head of the Directorate of Identification, Immigration and Aliens of the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), Colonel Mario Méndez Mayedo, indicated that the United States has repatriated 1,057 citizens, while The Bahamas has returned to 184, Mexico to 291 and Cayman Islands has returned to four.
These people were intercepted by foreign governments while moving or trying to enter their territories illegally. Most of these migrants left Cuba with the aim of seeking a better life in the United States.
The information given by the Cuban authorities comes at the same time that the official media Cubadebate reported on an increase in the number of Cubans trying to leave the Island with the help of false documents.
The aforementioned state media ensures that these documents (visas, passports, work permits and residencies) are made primarily in the United States, with 459 people being detained during the closing of 2021.
The official note made reference to illegal departures by sea, pointing out that the number of rafters who shipwreck on their way to the US has increased in recent months, with the eventual presence of minors among the deceased.
Méndez Mayedo emphasized the dangers run by people who try to use the help of third parties to enter other territories, assuring that they are often victims of human trafficking, extortion and kidnapping.
It is necessary to mention that while the officials who appeared on the program blamed this migratory increase on the United States, none mentioned the economic and health crisis that is plaguing the Island.
