Immigrants deported from U.S. to Central African Republic report being stranded

Deportees from various nations, including Cuba and Eritrea, report being stranded in the Central African Republic following their removal from the United States. The individuals, who are being held in Bangui, describe living in a state of confinement without proper identification or clear information regarding their legal status or future.

One Cuban national, Arístides Fernández, stated that he feels “kidnapped” while living in a building in Bangui alongside other Latin American migrants. He reported being detained by immigration agents after attending an asylum hearing in Miami, despite having no criminal record. Similarly, Yasmany Moreno de Armas, a Cuban immigrant previously living in Florida, expressed distress over being sent to a continent he was unfamiliar with, noting the difficulty of being without documents in a conflict-prone region.

The Central African Republic is characterized by extreme poverty, political instability, and security risks, prompting a Level 4 travel advisory from the U.S. State Department. The nation is among more than 30 countries that have agreed to accept third-country deportees as part of large-scale U.S. immigration enforcement measures.