For Scull Delgado, life in the United States began with the 1980 Mariel boatlift, when approximately 125,000 Cubans fled economic hardship and political repression by crossing the Florida Strait on small boats. Delgado said he joined the boatlift to escape compulsory service in Cuba's army.

Although the "marielitos" arrived without formal paperwork, Washington accepted them, consistent with the US opposition to Cuba's communist government. At the time, US President Jimmy Carter declared, "We will continue to provide an open heart and open arms to refugees seeking freedom from communist domination and from economic deprivation."

Over the following decades, Delgado settled in California, married a US citizen, and raised a family with three children and four grandchildren. He also acquired a criminal record, admitting, "I committed a crime in the '90s," which he described as "a slip-up" for which he served time in prison. He stated, "After I got out, I didn’t get into any more problems."

After nearly 46 years in the US, Delgado was just one month away from retirement and enjoying the benefits he earned through his work when immigration agents arrested him while he was signing in at the office. Reflecting on his situation, he said, "I do feel betrayed by Trump because he took everything away from me after I’d spent my whole life in that country."

This case highlights the complex situation of Cuban deportees caught in Mexico amid the US deportation campaign under former President Donald Trump, especially given Cuba's frequent refusal to accept deportations from the US.

Sources