U.S. Repatriates 118 Irregular Cuban Migrants Under Bilateral Agreements
Seventh return flight in 2025 brings 118 Cuban migrants back from U.S. territory. Photo: @minint_cuba
July 31, 2025 Hour: 8:35 pm
A flight from the U.S. arrived in Cuba carrying 118 irregular Cuban migrants repatriated according to bilateral migration agreements between the two countries.
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On August 1, 2025, a flight from the United States landed at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport carrying 118 Cuban migrants repatriated by U.S. authorities under existing bilateral agreements. According to Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior (Minint), this is the seventh repatriation operation carried out from U.S. territory so far this year.
Minint reported that, in total, 27 repatriation flights have been conducted in 2025 from various countries in the region, with 833 individuals returned. Of the 118 migrants on this flight, 96 were men and 22 were women. Additionally, three individuals were transferred to investigative authorities upon arrival due to alleged prior criminal activities.
Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second presidency in early 2025, deportations have remained a prioritized policy of the U.S. administration. In the first month of 2025 alone, approximately 37,660 people were deported nationwide, maintaining a high level of removals compared to previous years.
Cuban migrants have been a significant group in these operations, with at least seven repatriation flights returning over 800 Cubans from U.S. territory this year. These figures reflect ongoing enforcement efforts consistent with Trump-era immigration policies focusing on increased deportations.
The Cuban government reaffirmed its commitment to the bilateral migration agreements and emphasized the importance of regular, safe, and orderly migration. Authorities continue to coordinate with their U.S. counterparts to carry out these returns in accordance with the agreed terms.
These deportation policies and the recent repatriation of Cuban migrants reflect a broader political intention of the current U.S. administration to adopt a strict anti-immigration stance.
Since President Trump resumed office in 2025, the government has expanded restrictive measures including immigration bans targeting countries such as Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela, justified under national security claims.
The text reads: A return flight to Cuba was carried out with 118 irregular migrants from the U.S. (96 men and 22 women). There have been a total of 27 deportations from various countries in the region in 2025, with a total of 833 people returned.
Deportations have remained at historically high levels, with tens of thousands removed monthly, including hundreds of Cuban migrants returned under bilateral agreements. This approach signals not only an enforcement of border control but also a deliberate political effort to restrict migration flows, limit legal migration pathways, and criminalize irregular migrants.
The policies contribute to heightened insecurity for migrants and interrupt their pursuit of asylum or safety, illustrating a sustained administration agenda focused on deterrence and exclusion rather than comprehensive migration solutions.
Author: YCL
Source: Sputnik