Cuba calls Trump’s proposed mass deportation of immigrants "unrealistic and unfair," urging adherence to U.S.-Cuba migration accords. Trump aims to deport record numbers, focusing on criminals, but faces criticism for potential community and family impacts.
HAVANA (Reuters) -A proposal by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for mass deportation of immigrants living illegally in the United States that may include Cubans is unrealistic and unfair, Cuba's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday.
Trump has pledged a vast immigration crackdown, aiming to deport record numbers of immigrants, an operation that his running mate JD Vance estimated could remove 1 million people a year.
Wednesday's comments by Carlos Fernandez de Cossio followed routine migration talks in Havana with counterparts from the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden.
Any such deportation proposal must be vetted within the bounds of existing migration agreements between the United States and Cuba, he told reporters.
"In that context, it's not realistic to think that there could be mass deportations from the United States to Cuba," de Cossio said.
Under existing accords, Cuba has accepted small numbers of deportations from the U.S. by air and by sea during the Biden administration.
Trump's incoming border czar Tom Homan has said deportations would focus on criminals and those given final deportation orders, but has not committed to exemptions for specific groups or nationalities.
The Trump deportation proposal was not discussed with Biden officials during Wednesday's two-way migration talks, de Cossio said.
A U.S. delegation had met Cuban officials in Havana to review the U.S.-Cuba Migration Accords, which date back to 1984, Brian Nichols, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America, said on X.
"(The delegation) highlighted our success curbing irregular Cuban maritime and land-based migration," Nichols said.
It was unclear whether Trump would abide by existing accords with Cuba or seek to renegotiate them, as he has in other circumstances.
For decades, Cuba has blamed the U.S. Cold War-era trade embargo for decimating its economy and encouraging the mass migration of Cubans to the United States.
But a large-scale deportation to send them back home would be drastic and unfair, de Cossio said.
"Trying to deport tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Cubans to Cuba ... would be uprooting people who have already made their lives in the United States," he added.
Trump struggled to ramp up deportations during his first term, from 2017 to 2021.
When counting both immigration removals and faster “returns” to Mexico by U.S. border officials, Biden deported more immigrants in fiscal 2023 than in any Trump year, government data shows.
Immigrant advocates warn that a broader Trump deportation effort would be costly, divisive and inhumane, leading to family separations and devastating communities.
The US has imposed sanctions on four Cuban judicial officials for their role in jailing a peaceful protester in 2020, citing gross human rights violations and lack of judicial independence.
Power is gradually being restored in parts of Havana after a nationwide blackout left millions without electricity. The outage, caused by a grid collapse on Friday evening, affected around 10 million people, with some areas seeing progress while large portions of Cuba remain in the dark.
Cuba’s power grid has collapsed, causing a nationwide blackout and internet disruptions.
Cuba has granted early release to 553 prisoners as part of a deal mediated by the Holy See during the final days of former U.S. President Joe Biden’s presidency.
An Egyptian national charged with tossing gasoline bombs at a pro-Israeli rally in Boulder, Colorado, injuring a dozen people, planned his attack for a year and used Molotov cocktails instead of a gun because his noncitizen status blocked him from buying firearms as prosecutors said.
Russia's overnight attacks killed one person in Ukraine's northeastern region of Kharkiv and injured several more in the northern city of Chernihiv, regional Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Türkiye near Mugla’s Marmaris district, causing panic and minor injuries. Officials report building cracks and dozens injured after jumping in fear.
Russia laid out strict demands for ending the war during peace talks in Istanbul, calling on Ukraine to cede territory and limit its military.
UK Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds is set to meet U.S. Trade Representative to discuss the next steps in a complicated tariff deal, amid steel tariffs that could impact British industry.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
Mongolia’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene has stepped down after losing parliamentary confidence amid public outrage over corruption allegations. His resignation follows weeks of protests in Ulaanbaatar accusing him and his family of misconduct.
Britain’s Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds is set for a pivotal week of negotiations with U.S., EU, and Indian officials as fresh U.S. steel tariffs complicate the implementation of recent trade agreements.
An Egyptian national charged with tossing gasoline bombs at a pro-Israeli rally in Boulder, Colorado, injuring a dozen people, planned his attack for a year and used Molotov cocktails instead of a gun because his noncitizen status blocked him from buying firearms as prosecutors said.
Russia's overnight attacks killed one person in Ukraine's northeastern region of Kharkiv and injured several more in the northern city of Chernihiv, regional Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Türkiye near Mugla’s Marmaris district, causing panic and minor injuries. Officials report building cracks and dozens injured after jumping in fear.
An Egyptian national charged with tossing gasoline bombs at a pro-Israeli rally in Boulder, Colorado, injuring a dozen people, planned his attack for a year and used Molotov cocktails instead of a gun because his noncitizen status blocked him from buying firearms as prosecutors said.
Russia's overnight attacks killed one person in Ukraine's northeastern region of Kharkiv and injured several more in the northern city of Chernihiv, regional Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Türkiye near Mugla’s Marmaris district, causing panic and minor injuries. Officials report building cracks and dozens injured after jumping in fear.
Russia laid out strict demands for ending the war during peace talks in Istanbul, calling on Ukraine to cede territory and limit its military.
UK Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds is set to meet U.S. Trade Representative to discuss the next steps in a complicated tariff deal, amid steel tariffs that could impact British industry.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment