Cuban man remains in ICE custody months after signing voluntary deportation papers

Yosvel Mesa Diéguez has been held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Texas for three months despite signing paperwork to leave the country voluntarily.

The Cuban national sent a message from a detention center using his remaining phone credit. He stated that he wants to be deported and released from custody. Mesa Diéguez said he signed the documents but remains in the facility.

His mother, Elsa Diéguez, lives in Miami Gardens. She reports that her son has suffered health issues during his detention. These include psoriasis, stomach pain, and hair loss. Diéguez noted that her son had received medical treatment for mental health concerns since childhood. She expressed fear that the prolonged detention could affect his physical and emotional state.

Mesa Diéguez and his mother entered the United States through the border. Diéguez and another of her children received I-220A documents. Mesa Diéguez was initially detained. He was released on bail two months later. He then waited for a court date while pursuing residency.

Mesa Diéguez later moved from Miami to Texas. Diéguez said a recent domestic incident led to his arrest. ICE then took custody of him. He has not appeared in the immigration detainee location system for one week, he told his mother.

The Department of Homeland Security responded to inquiries about why the deportation has not yet occurred. A DHS spokesperson said ICE does not comment on future removal operations. This includes flight times, passenger lists, or specific case details. Diéguez said her son told her he might remain detained until March or April next year.

The Migration Policy Institute estimates that the Trump administration has carried out approximately 980,000 deportations since January 20, 2025, through July 31, 2026. DHS has not confirmed this figure. Diéguez continues to wait for an update on her son's status.