Deported to Central African Republic, a transgender woman who lived openly in Miami is hiding again, tell me about this news today

Deported to Central African Republic: Transgender Woman Who Lived Openly in Miami Forced Back into Hiding

Daniela Fuentes, a 32-year-old Cuban transgender woman who had been living openly as a woman in Miami, Florida, has been forced back into hiding after being deported by United States immigration authorities to the Central African Republic.

Background: From Cuba to Miami

Fuentes originally fled persecution and hardship in Cuba, embarking on a long journey through Central America and Mexico before reaching the United States. In Miami, she was able to live openly in alignment with her gender identity, express herself freely, and establish a life within the South Florida Cuban and LGBTQ+ communities.

Detention and De-transitioning

After being taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Fuentes faced significant hardship regarding her gender recognition. Stripped of her feminine presentation, she was held in male detention facilities, forced to remove her wig, and had her long hair cut short. In detention, she felt compelled to begin de-transitioning and presenting as a man (using the name Daniel) purely as a mechanism to survive the hostile environment.

Third-Country Deportation to the Central African Republic

Under expanding and contested U.S. third-country removal policieswhere migrants who cannot be returned to their country of origin are transferred to third nationsFuentes was flown across the globe and dropped off in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. She had no prior ties, cultural knowledge, or family connections in the country.

Isolation and Daily Fear in Bangui

Upon arriving in Bangui, Fuentes found herself in extreme danger and isolation. Confronting widespread transphobia, harassment, and stares from the local community, she has once again had to suppress her identity, wear baggy men’s clothing, and remain indoors in a shared apartment. She has described living in perpetual fear, noting that even simple errands like buying groceries expose her to hostility and threats. Currently without official identification or travel documents, she is seeking consular assistance in hopes of obtaining safe transit to another country where her human rights and identity can be protected.