ICE arrests alleged member of Cuba's Ministry of the Interior in South Florida

Angie DiMichele, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Apr 14, 2025

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A man from Cuba who was allegedly a member of the Cuban Communist Party and a member of the Ministry of the Interior was taken into custody in Miami, immigration authorities announced Monday.

Daniel Morejon Garcia, 57, was “administratively arrested” after an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, which “centered on fraudulent claims he allegedly made when entering the country,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a news release.

HSI Miami shared photos on X Monday afternoon that showed Morejon Garcia handcuffed and placed in the back of a van. He has been processed and remains in ICE custody, the news release said.

In his immigration applications, Morejon Garcia allegedly omitted being a member of the Cuban Communist Party and his affiliation with the Ministry of Interior, according to ICE. Law enforcement during their investigation reviewed “official Cuban government documents” and received “credible source information” that Morejon Garcia did not disclose the affiliations.

He is accused of serving as the President of the National Defense Council in the Atermisa region and as a member of the Rapid Response Brigades, according to ICE, groups made up of “civilians trained and organized by the government” that are intended to aid authorities during protests and social unrest.

In July 2021, thousands of Cubans gathered across the island in the largest protests the country had seen in decades. The protests included acts of vandalism, destruction of patrol cars, looting and police violently arresting protesters, the Associated Press reported at the time.

Morejon Garcia as a member of the Rapid Response Brigades was “activated” by the government and allegedly assaulted protesters during the 2021 protest, according to ICE.

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