ICE gives details about the deportation of the Cuban Cinthya Medrano García, known as «La Cintumbare»

Cinthya Medrano García, the controversial influencer known in social networks such as «La Cintumbare», was deported to Cuba this Thursday after staying several weeks in custody of the United States immigration and customs control service (ICE).

According to an ICE spokesman, who preferred not to be identified, Medrano García, 28, entered the US on June 6, 2022 through Lukeville, Arizona, «without inspection or admission of an immigration officer.»

The official told Martí News that «the border patrol stopped her the same day and issued a notification of appearance on June 7, 2022. She was released the next day under an order of recognition with periodic presentation requirements.»

However, Medrano García did not appear before the Immigration Judge on October 18, 2023, which resulted in a deportation order in the absence. Although he tried to reopen his case in August of the following year, his request was denied by a judge a month later.

«On January 11, the border patrol intercepted her near Rocksprings, Texas, and determined that she still remained in the US irregularly,» said the ICE officer.

Rocksprings is a small town near the border with Mexico, an area that is jealously guarded by US authorities in search of undocumented people crossing the border.

Medrano García was arrested and on January 13 she was transferred to the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center, waiting for her repatriation, until she was deported last week.

A controversy history

Medrano García reached notoriety in social networks for his controversial statements, in which he claimed that he had no intention of working in the United States and preferred to live with government aid. In addition, he was involved in media disputes, including a demand filed by Cuban singer Dianelys Alfonso Cartaya, known as «the goddess», for insults and personal attacks by the influencer.

Weeks before her deportation, the Cuban published a video on her social networks confirming that she was arrested and that there was a high probability that she was repatriated to the island.

«I am arrested since Saturday afternoon. I have been informed that there is a 98% chance of being deported to Cuba, possibly this Thursday or Friday,» he said in his message.

The role of Cuba in deportations

The deportation of Cuban citizens continues to depend on the acceptance of the Havana regime. Immigration lawyer Wilfredo Allen explained that, although there is a migratory agreement since 2017 in which Cuba promised to accept deportees with orders issued since that year, in practice the regime does not always comply with this provision.

«The Cuban government has the obligation to accept these people, but on many occasions they refuse,» said Allen.

In addition, he stressed the importance of complying with migratory audiences. «Do not appear before the Court entails an automatic deportation order and an entrance prohibition to the US for ten years. There are only two valid reasons to miss: not having received the notification or a serious illness of a close relative,» he warned.

ICE raids and increased deportations

The first deportation flight of Cubans under the new administration of Donald Trump arrived in Havana last Thursday, with 104 migrants, according to official sources. The operation, part of the bilateral agreements between the US and Cuba, included 84 men, 19 women and a minor.

This flight marks the restart of deportations to the island after Trump’s arrival at the White House on January 20. To date, 296 Cubans have been returned in 11 operations this year. Among them, at least three people were arrested by the Cuban authorities for previous crimes or illegal exit attempts.

According to official ICE data, currently 42,084 Cubans have a final deportation order under supervised freedom, because the Cuban regime refuses to accept them.