United States Deports 161 Cuban Migrants in Eighth Operation Under Trump

161 Cubans Deported

Eighth Operation Under Trump

Economic Crisis Drives Exodus

A plane carrying 161 irregular Cuban migrants deported from the United States arrived in Havana this Thursday in the eighth such operation carried out since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term on January 20, 2025.

The returnees—124 men and 37 women—were received by Cuban authorities “in compliance with bilateral migration agreements” established between Havana and Washington, according to the Ministry of the Interior via state television.

Of those deported, two are under investigation for alleged involvement in criminal acts before leaving the island, according to the same report.

With this action, deportations to Cuba in 2025 now total 33 operations, reaching 1,001 people returned, most of them from U.S. territory.

161 Cuban Migrants Deported by Trump

Another flight carrying deported migrants from the United States arrives in Cuba. https://t.co/WP31T2xQSA

— el Nuevo Herald (@elnuevoherald) August 29, 2025

Authorities on the island emphasized their commitment to “safe, orderly, and regular migration” and once again warned of the deadly risks of illegal departures by sea.

The current agreement between both governments establishes that Cuban migrants arriving in the United States by sea will be deported back to the island.

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Deportation flights had been suspended since 2020 but resumed in April 2023, focusing mainly on those considered “inadmissible” after being detained at the Mexican border.

Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicate that during fiscal year 2024, which ended on September 30, 217,615 Cuban migrants entered the country.

Cuba Reaffirms Migration Commitment

Cuba receives 161 irregular migrants deported by the U.S. https://t.co/tAOiJoaTQz#ElComentario #EUA #Cuba #MigrantesIrregulares #Deportaciones pic.twitter.com/8U7tpiVKDB

— El Comentario (@ComentarioUdeC) August 29, 2025

Just in October, the first month of fiscal year 2025, 8,261 Cubans were registered at the U.S. southern border, according to EFE.

The same agency detailed that more than 860,000 Cuban citizens have entered the United States in the last four years, reflecting the scale of the exodus.

In 2024, Cuba received 93 deportation flights from different countries in the region, returning a total of 1,384 irregular migrants.

This surge in migration comes amid an unprecedented economic crisis in Cuba.

Crisis and Migrant Exodus

Marked by shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, rising inflation, prolonged blackouts, and partial dollarization of the economy.

The phenomenon has pushed thousands of Cuban migrants to embark on dangerous routes to the United States despite the possibility of ending up deported.

Despite the tightening of migration policies and the deportation flights aimed at containing irregular flows.