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José Antonio G.: Cuban man brought at age nine deported to Mexico after 38 years

José Antonio González, 51, arrived at age nine and worked as a painter supporting his family, but was deported after nearly 40 years over childhood offenses. He says he feels more American than Cuban.

Dec 1, 2025El Paso, TXCountry of origin: Cuba

José Antonio G.: Cuban man brought at age nine deported to Mexico after 38 years
Photo via CiberCuba

José Antonio González, 51, was deported to Mexico in December 2025 after nearly four decades in the United States, following offenses he committed as a minor in the 1990s for which he had already served his sentence. González arrived in the U.S. at age nine in 1987, worked as a painter and in retail, paid taxes, and was the primary provider for his U.S. citizen family including his 82-year-old mother. He spent six months in a Texas ICE detention center before being deported under an I-220B order, describing coercion to sign deportation papers after refusing twice. He is now living in Mexico and reports feeling more American than Cuban.

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