Cuba receives 127 irregular migrants deported by the United States

Cuba received a group of 127 irregular migrants deported by the United States on August 21, 2026. The Ministry of the Interior (Minint) stated the deportation was "in compliance with bilateral migration agreements."

The group consisted of 113 men and 14 women. Two individuals were handed over to investigative authorities for alleged criminal acts committed before their departure from Cuba. This brings the total number of individuals returned to the island in 2026 to 882 across 31 operations from various regional countries.

Cuban authorities reaffirmed their commitment to "regular, safe, and orderly migration." They also reiterated "the danger and life-threatening conditions that illegal departures from the country represent." In 2025, Cuba reported receiving 1,669 irregular migrants from the United States and other regional nations.

A bilateral agreement between Havana and Washington mandates the deportation of all migrants reaching U.S. territory by sea back to Cuba. Deportation flights, suspended since 2020, resumed in late April 2023, primarily for Cubans deemed "inadmissible" after being detained at the Mexican border. In fiscal year 2025, 33,056 Cubans arrived in the U.S., a significant drop from the 217,615 in fiscal year 2024, attributed to stricter U.S. immigration policies.