Direct Cuban Deportations to Tapachula: New Route That Bypasses Havana

A new and surprising deportation tactic has emerged under the Trump administration: the United States is sending deported Cubans directly to Tapachula, Mexico, instead of sending them to Cuba. This border city with Guatemala now receives between 2 and 3 weekly flights with Cuban deportees, a figure that alarms local authorities and activists.

An unprecedented strategy

Eduardo Antonio Castillejos Argüello, Undersecretary of Human Mobility for the Southern Border Secretariat of Mexico, confirmed that last year nearly 12,000 people were registered as deported from the United States to Mexican territory. Currently, Tapachula receives two to three weekly flights from US territory.

“We have a large population of Cuban nationality here in Tapachula, distributed throughout the southern border, who need access to services, but especially employment. Many people are in informal commerce,” the official stated.

The tactic represents a radical change from traditional deportation protocols, where Cubans were sent directly to Havana. Now, they face what activists call a “triple displacement”: Cuba-US-Mexico.

Heartbreaking testimonies

Among the most dramatic cases is Raúl Morales, 66 years old, who after living 46 years in the United States was detained and deported to Mexico, leaving his family in US territory.

“They simply told me I was being deported and that they were going to put me here. I refused and didn’t give them any papers; they handcuffed me by force. I was on the street, I’m retired in the United States. They’re stealing my retirement,” Morales denounced in an interview with local media.

His testimony reflects the reality of thousands of Cubans facing family separation and loss of their means of subsistence after decades of life in the United States.

Questioned transparency

Luis Rey García Villagrán, director of the Center for Human Dignification (CDH), has denounced the lack of transparency in the transfer and reception processes of deported migrants.

“In darkness and in a totally opaque manner they bring migrants by truck, plane, or road. No institution or agency dealing with immigration issues takes responsibility,” the activist accused.

García Villagrán estimates that around 60,000 migrants currently remain stranded at the southern border, mainly of Haitian and Cuban nationality, creating a humanitarian crisis that worsens daily.

The broader context

This new deportation route emerges at a time of unprecedented humanitarian crisis for Cuban migrants, who face multiple legal obstacles and intensified ICE operations.

According to official data, Trump has reached record figures with 5,169 deported Cubans, the largest number in US history. Simultaneously, Nicaragua closed the “Volcano Route”, eliminating a key migration pathway used by 200,000 Cubans.

Impact on communities

The situation in Tapachula illustrates the challenges faced by Mexican border communities in absorbing a constantly growing deported population. Cuban deportees join hundreds of migrants from other nationalities who remain stranded in the region due to the tightening of immigration policies.

Cubans deported to Tapachula face a dilemma: attempt to return to the United States through dangerous routes, stay in Mexico without clear legal status, or consider returning to Cuba, where the energy crisis generates blackouts of up to 16 hours daily.

Community reactions

The Cuban-American community has expressed alarm at this new tactic. Florida sheriffs have rebelled against mass deportations, calling them counterproductive.

Meanwhile, federal courts have limited legal options for Cubans with I-220A, leaving hundreds of thousands in unprecedented legal limbo.

Frequently asked questions

Why deport Cubans to Mexico instead of Cuba? This new tactic seems designed to avoid the costs and logistical complications of sending deportees directly to Havana, while taking advantage of Mexican territory as a forced transit zone.

How many Cubans have been deported to Tapachula? Exact figures have not been revealed, but Mexican authorities confirm 2-3 weekly flights from US territory, with approximately 12,000 total deportations last year from various nationalities.

What rights do Cubans deported to Mexico have? Deportees face legal limbo in Mexico, without clear immigration status and depending on local humanitarian assistance. Many resort to informal commerce to survive.

Is this deportation practice legal? While legally questionable, the Trump administration has implemented this tactic as part of its “maximum pressure” against Cuba, using Mexico as a forced transit country.

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This story is part of our ongoing coverage of the Cuban migration crisis. Stay informed about the latest developments in our migration section.