DHS Admits Errors in 'Worst' Migrants List: 1,900 Cubans Included

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) admitted that its controversial website designed to showcase detained migrants as “the worst of the worst” is riddled with errors — a situation directly affecting the approximately 1,900 Cubans who appear on the list.

A Portal with 25,000 Names and Hundreds of Errors

The webpage, launched in December 2025 and actively promoted by Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump himself, publishes the names of approximately 25,000 detained migrants along with the crimes for which they were allegedly arrested or convicted.

However, a CNN investigation revealed that thousands of people listed as dangerous criminals actually had minor charges:

• Isolated traffic fines
• Marijuana possession
• Illegal re-entry following a prior deportation

These individuals were classified alongside people accused of homicide or sexual offenses, all under the same “worst of the worst” label.

1,900 Cubans Under Scrutiny

The portal’s breakdown by nationality reveals a significant Cuban presence:

Country	Approximate Number
Mexico	~12,500 (nearly half)
Honduras	~2,100
Guatemala	~1,900
Cuba	~1,900
El Salvador	~1,200

Family members of listed Cubans have contacted outlets like CiberCuba to report that their loved ones were incorrectly identified as convicted of serious crimes they never committed.

DHS Blames a “Technical Glitch”

Confronted with CNN’s evidence, a DHS spokesperson acknowledged that charges against hundreds of listed migrants were “described incorrectly.” The inaccuracies were attributed to a “technical glitch” that allegedly affected approximately 5% of the entries.

“Many of those listed with traffic violations and illegal re-entry, which is a serious crime, have additional offenses,” the spokesperson argued in defense of the portal.

However, CNN noted it was unable to independently verify the individual descriptions of each of the thousands of names included.

Not the First Time

This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has acknowledged errors in publicly showcasing detained migrants. Previously, the White House admitted to publishing the image of a man it incorrectly described as convicted of a sexual offense.

An Increasingly Hostile Environment

The error-filled list adds to a landscape growing harsher by the week for Cuban migrants:

• 302 deported so far in 2026
• Work permit restrictions for asylum seekers
• Cuba accepting deportees with criminal records for the first time
• ICE detention bed expansion to 92,600

For Cubans appearing on the list with incorrect information, immigration attorneys recommend documenting any errors and seeking legal assistance as soon as possible, as inclusion on the portal could complicate future immigration proceedings.