A Florida judge’s ruling to release a convicted Cuban hijacker after his prison term has drawn sharp criticism from DHS, citing risks to public safety and immigration enforcement efforts.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge in Florida ordered the release of Maikel Guerra Morales, a Cuban national convicted of hijacking a commuter aircraft in 2003, after he completed a 22-year federal prison sentence. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized the decision, stating it forced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release a dangerous foreign criminal into an American community. 📺 DETAIL: U.S. District Judge John E. Steele, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, ruled on July 8 that Morales could not continue to be held in ICE custody and ordered his release within 24 hours, while allowing him to contact his attorney and family. Morales was convicted after participating in the March 19, 2003 hijacking of a commuter flight from Nueva Gerona, Cuba, during which prosecutors said he assaulted crew members and forced the pilot to divert to Key West, Florida, where he was arrested. Following his release from federal prison, ICE detained Morales in December 2025 to execute a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge in 2023. Court filings indicated ICE had sought to deport Morales, with Mexico reportedly considered as a possible destination if Cuba refused to accept him. Judge Steele claimed that continued immigration detention was not legally justified under the circumstances and ordered Morales released under supervision. DHS said it complied with the court’s order but vowed to continue pursuing Morales’ removal from the United States. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “This activist judge forced ICE to release a criminal illegal alien who was convicted and sentenced to 22 years for hijacking a plane back into American communities.” – Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. 🎯 IMPACT: DHS accuses the court of undermining efforts to remove criminal illegal aliens. ICE stated it is continuing to pursue Morales’s removal, with Mexico still being considered as a potential destination if Cuba will not accept him. |
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