Cubans Face a New Reality as Detentions Begin
Never in recent history have this many Cubans in the US been at risk of detention and deportation. The reasons are myriad.
The Trump Administration has officially ended the humanitarian parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV), impacting at least 110,240 Cubans. CHNV parolees can now be detained, and on April 24, they will be eligible for deportation. Work permits for parolees are also set to be revoked by April 24, stripping many of their ability to support themselves and their families.
Between FY2021 and FY2024, 681,812 Cubans sought entry into the US, searching for safety and stability. Hundreds of thousands remain in limbo with I-220A documentation and are now facing new threats under the Trump Administration’s crackdown on all forms of immigration.
These policy shifts have already instilled deep fear within immigrant communities. Thousands now live in constant anxiety, afraid to leave their homes for fear of detention and separation from loved ones. With limited legal options, some may be forcibly removed. In contrast, others may feel compelled to self deport, as the Trump Administration has encouraged through the introduction the new CBP Home Mobile Application which as of March 12, has fully replaced the CBP One Application, which was the principal mechanism for asylum seekers to seek entry into the US via ports of entry.
CEDA’s most recent press release argues that ending the CHNV humanitarian parole program will not deter migration—it will only force people into impossible and dangerous situations. It will separate families, devastate communities, and leave thousands of migrants with no safe options. Furthermore, it will risk putting the US in the position of violating its domestic and international legal obligations by risking refoulement, as returned individuals may be at risk of persecution.
Updates from CEDA’s News Center
Press Release: Trump Revokes Legal Status of 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, Forcing Families into Crisis
Press Release: For a Safe, Dignified, and Rights-Based Migration!
CEDA in the News: María José Espinosa, foreign policy expert: ‘Migration is not a problem to be contained, but a reality that must be managed’
The End of CHNV
On March 25, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of legal status for 110,240 Cubans, 211,040 Haitians, 93,070 Nicaraguans, and 117,330 Venezuelans who entered the country legally as part of the CHNV humanitarian parole program. This Biden-era program allowed up to 30,000 nationals from the four countries to enter the US each month for a period of two years if they had a US-based sponsor with legal status.
The program, which benefitted approximately 532,000 individuals and their families, will officially end on April 24, 30 days after the Federal Register notice was issued. Individuals who do not leave the US within this 30-day period will be subject to deportation. The notice also states that some CHNV parolees may be permitted to remain in the country on a “case-by-case basis." DHS can use expedited removal to deport parolees who have been in the US for less than two years. The notice states that DHS plans to prioritize the deportation of individuals who have not applied for any legal status and are not the beneficiary of an immigration benefit request properly filed by someone else on their behalf.
Additionally, the Trump Administration has announced that some applications to adjust status for those who entered the US through the humanitarian parole program will be put on hold. This means that some Cubans with CHNV will be unable to apply to adjust through the Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA).
CEDA has previously reported on the impact of the CHNV humanitarian parole program and found that, in part, irregular migration to the US was dramatically curbed as a result. For example, irregular Cuban migration to the U.S. Southwest border dropped from 223,028 to 13,686 (a 93 percent decrease) from FY2022 to FY2024.
18 Cubans with I-220A Detained
Recent reporting from the Miami Herald stated that at least 18 Cubans with I-220A status have now been detained during regular immigration appointments in Miramar, Florida. According to one of the detainees, the migrants in custody have not been informed why they are being held. The Miami Herald reports that one of the migrants has been transferred to a detention facility in San Diego, although she was living and detained in South Florida.
Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) has spoken out on the detainments, stating on X, “I recently spoke with ICE and Homeland Security officials and asked them to not detain Cubans with I-220A and allow for their asylum cases to be heard.”
Cuba currently accepts roughly one deportation flight per month, with the most recent flight, which took place on February 17, carrying 104 Cubans. Read more about the migrants onboard, including some with I-220A, in our previous U.S.–Cuba News Briefing.
Additional Migrants Sent to Guantánamo
On March 20, an ICE charter flight departed from El Paso, transporting 20 migrants to the Guantánamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC). This was the first such flight since March 11 when the Trump Administration returned 40 men from the naval base to the US. This return coincided with a court hearing in two lawsuits challenging the legality of President Donald Trump’s policy of detaining migrants at Guantánamo Bay.
On March 24, 30 Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and ICE Deputy Director Todd Lyons, raising concerns about conditions at GMOC and the Military Detention Center at Guantánamo Bay. They criticized the Trump Administration for failing to meet public safety objectives and for deporting migrants without criminal records who are classified as “low-risk” and requested clarification on several issues, including details about the individuals detained at the facility, the legal justification for their detention, and their access to legal counsel.
Radio and TV Martí Face Crippling Cuts—But Radio Martí Resumes Broadcasting
On March 14, following President Trump's directive for deep budget cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), Radio and TV Martí ceased broadcasting for the first time since their founding over 40 years ago at the height of the Cold War. However, in a surprising turn of events, on March 26, Radio Martí resumed broadcasting, and furloughed employees were notified they could return to work. Despite this partial revival, approximately half of the staff—those hired as contractors—have not been rehired. According to the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which manages both Radio and TV Martí, in FY2024, the OCB had a budget of $25 million and an estimated audience of 0.8 million in FY2023.
Radio Martí has faced legitimate criticism over its effectiveness and impact—such as a 2019 internal audit that found its content fell “far short” of ethical standards.
Rep. Salazar said the outlets had been vital and posted on X "As government programs evolve, I will work with President Trump to make sure the Cuban people have the access to the uncensored news they deserve!" She had previously made negative remarks about USAID’s “embarrassing” and “wasteful” spending. Representative Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-25) stated in an interview with Telemundo, “I'm working with the administration to see if there are ways to reverse this, or at least find a way to provide radio and communication for the Cuban people, which is essential.”
Tourism in Cuba Drops to New Lows
Preliminary data from Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) indicates that tourism has declined by 30 percent in 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. The number of international visitors also fell by 29.1 percent in 2025, with significant drops in arrivals from Canada, Italy, Spain, and Russia. Tourism to the island has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, as ongoing blackouts and shortages of basic supplies continue to deter visitors. This decline has had a substantial impact on Cuba’s economy, which depends heavily on tourism revenue. One expert predicts that the country's tourism sector will not fully recover until 2030.
Rubio’s Trip to the Caribbean
This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname. The Cuban medical mission program is said to be a focus of the trip as the US has threatened visa restrictions for those involved in the missions, including local government officials. This policy has been criticized by officials from Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. As a result of the meeting, Mr. Rubio stated that he would work alongside Washington to have a discussion with Jamaican officials to better understand the program. Jamaica has emphasized that the roughly 400 Cuban medical professionals operating on the island are critical to the country’s medical infrastructure. Additionally, the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines has stated that he has already provided the US with proof that the Cuban medical professionals are not victims of human trafficking and that they are paid comparably to other similar workers.
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