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Trump Fires Noem After Revoking Protection for 500K Cubans

The president dismisses his Homeland Security Secretary after weeks of controversy over eliminating humanitarian protections.

Aroma de Cuba · · 4 min read
Kristi Noem surrounded by ICE agents and Cuban families in Washington DC

Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday, making her the first Cabinet member to leave office in his second administration. The decision comes after weeks of controversy over her handling of mass deportations and the revocation of humanitarian protections for more than 500,000 migrants, including hundreds of thousands of Cubans.

End of a Controversial Tenure

Noem had implemented some of the Trump administration’s most aggressive immigration policies, including the revocation of humanitarian parole for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. This measure left approximately 300,000 Cubans in legal limbo, facing immediate deportations.

“The decision to revoke humanitarian protections has separated families and created an unprecedented crisis,” said Lindsay Toczylowski from Immigrant Defenders Law Center.

The controversy reached its peak after incidents in Minneapolis, where ICE agents caused the deaths of two American citizens during operations that were widely criticized as excessively militarized.

Nicaragua Closes Migration Route

Simultaneously, Nicaragua canceled visa-free access for Cuban citizens in February 2026, closing the so-called “Volcano Route” that had been used by more than 200,000 Cuban migrants since 2021. This decision, combined with Trump’s policies, has created an unprecedented migration siege.

The closure of the Nicaraguan corridor has forced Cuban migrants toward more dangerous maritime routes, with a 340% increase in raft crossings to Florida in the first months of 2026.

ICE Intensifies Operations

Under Noem’s leadership, ICE had aggressively expanded its operations, with Vice President JD Vance promising 10,000 additional agents for “door-to-door” deportations. However, data shows that ICE arrests have decreased 11% in February due to legal and political pressure.

“Militarized operations have created more resistance than effective results,” explained Bartlomiej Skorupa from Mobile Pathways.

The administration had deported 5,169 Cubans through March 2026, establishing a historic record that surpassed all previous administrations combined.

Humanitarian Crisis in Cuba

Migration pressure has intensified due to the energy crisis in Cuba, where blackouts last up to 16 hours daily following the oil blockade implemented by Trump. The situation has led to a national emergency declaration on the island.

María González, a Cuban migrant in Miami, recounts: “My parents in Havana are without electricity most of the day, but here I live in constant fear of being deported back to that crisis.”

Noem’s Successor

Trump has appointed Deputy Secretary Patrick Lechleitner as interim secretary, who is expected to continue mass deportation policies but with a less militarized approach. DHS sources indicate the new strategy will prioritize “efficiency over spectacle.”

Immigration attorneys have filed more than 24,000 habeas corpus petitions for detained Cubans, with some successful cases like Daniel Alejandro Escobar, released after 80 days in detention.

The 11th Circuit Federal Court recently reopened hope for thousands of Cubans with I-220A forms, questioning decisions by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).

Updated: March 13, 2026 - 00:30 UTC

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