The organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the Government of President Donald Trump of having deported at least 4,353 Cubans to Mexico since January 2025, where many remain "abandoned", without access to housing, medical care or a clear path to regularize their immigration status.

In a report titled “They are abandoning us here to die,” the organization documented that between January 20, 2025 and March 9, 2026, the United States expelled almost 13,000 migrants from third countries to Mexican territory, of which nearly 70% were sent under an “unwritten agreement” between both governments. Cubans represent the largest group of deportees.

HRW denounced that many of the deported Cubans had lived for decades in the United States, mainly in Florida, where they established businesses, acquired homes and started families before being detained by immigration authorities. The organization noted that the majority are older adults with chronic diseases that require constant medical treatment.

"They are abandoning us here to die. There is no help, we can't work because we don't have papers. They don't give us anything, nothing... How are we supposed to eat, pay the rent?" declared Harold A., a 58-year-old Cuban deported to Mexico and cited in the HRW report.

HRW researcher Alcira Silva Hava stated that “the Trump administration is using Mexico as a warehouse for deportees that it cannot send back to their countries.” He added that Mexican authorities do not offer effective mechanisms for these people to obtain legal residency, a situation that exposes them to criminal networks and exploitation.

The report maintains that the migrants were sent to cities in southern Mexico, such as Tapachula and Villahermosa, where they face high levels of violence, few job opportunities and limited access to public services. Some interviewees reported having slept in parks, streets or even outside hospitals.

HRW also accused US authorities of violating due process. According to the organization, none of those interviewed had the opportunity to legally challenge their deportation to Mexico, despite the fact that some previously had legal permanent residence or refugee status in the United States.

According to HRW's analysis of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data, 26% of deported Cubans had no criminal record, while only 16% had been convicted of violent or potentially violent crimes.

The organization also denounced alleged abuses inside immigration detention centers in the United States, including overcrowding, extreme temperatures, poor nutrition, and physical and verbal violence by guards.