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Enrique A.H.: 46-year-old Cuban man held weeks in Djibouti, deported to South Sudan

Enrique Arias-Hierro, 46, a Cuban man ordered removed in 1999, was held for weeks in Djibouti after his deportation flight was diverted. He arrived in South Sudan on July 4.

May 23, 2025FLCountry of origin: Cuba

Enrique A.H.: 46-year-old Cuban man held weeks in Djibouti, deported to South Sudan
Photo via Associated Press

Enrique Arias-Hierro, 46, of Cuba, had been ordered removed by an immigration judge in 1999 and did not appeal. He was arrested by ICE in early May 2025 and placed on a deportation flight to South Sudan, which a federal judge initially halted, diverting the flight to a U.S. military base in Djibouti where he and other migrants were held for weeks. The U.S. Supreme Court later overturned that judge's order, and Arias-Hierro arrived in South Sudan on July 4, 2025.

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