Daniela Fuentes, a 32-year-old transgender Cuban immigrant who ran a beauty salon and performed drag at Club Azúcar in Miami after leaving Cuba and traveling through Central America, was arrested outside the Stardust motel on Calle 8 after a cleaning attendant mistook her for homeless and called police. Authorities discovered she had missed an immigration court date in Texas after requesting a venue change and never receiving a response, resulting in an expedited deportation order. She was held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and Lake County Detention Center, where she says she was forced to remove her wig and clothing, cut her hair, and alter her voice and mannerisms to survive among male detainees. On August 31, 2026, she was flown roughly 22 hours to Bangui, Central African Republic, alongside a group of chained men, with officers confirming the destination only hours into the flight; she says she would have chosen Cuba if given the option, and now in Bangui she says she faces mockery and feels unsafe living openly as herself. Advocacy group Immigration Equality says it has identified a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ people being sent to third countries where they may face persecution.