Federal immigration authorities have arrested the sister of a senior Cuban regime official living in Florida, marking another escalation in the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against individuals tied to Havana’s communist government.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Adys Lastres Morera was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will remain detained while deportation proceedings move forward.
According to Rubio, Lastres Morera entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident on January 13, 2023, during the Biden administration.
Rubio said he moved to revoke her immigration status after determining that her continued presence in the United States could harm American foreign policy interests.
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The case centers on alleged ties to Grupo de Administración Empresarial, known as GAESA, a powerful Cuban military-linked business network that controls major parts of Cuba’s economy.
Rubio said Lastres Morera is the sister of Ania Guillermina Lastres, an official connected to the Cuban state-run economic structure.
Federal officials allege that Adys Lastres Morera had been living in Florida while managing real estate assets and assisting interests tied to Cuba’s ruling apparatus.
Rubio said the administration will no longer allow relatives of hostile regimes or terrorist-linked organizations to enjoy life in the United States while ordinary people suffer under repression abroad.
He argued that previous administrations allowed relatives of Cuban military elites and other foreign adversaries to benefit from U.S. residency while maintaining ties to regimes opposed to American interests.
The State Department says Lastres Morera is removable under a section of U.S. immigration law that allows deportation when the secretary of state determines that a foreign national’s presence could create serious adverse foreign policy consequences.
GAESA has long been viewed by U.S. officials as one of the main financial engines of Cuba’s communist government. The organization is tied to Cuba’s military and is believed to control major sectors including tourism, banking, remittances and state-linked businesses.
Supporters of the Trump administration’s approach say the arrest sends a message that family members of regime elites will no longer be allowed to use the United States as a safe haven.
Critics may argue that immigration enforcement actions involving relatives of foreign officials should be handled carefully to avoid punishing people solely based on family ties.
For Rubio, the case fits into a broader campaign targeting individuals and financial networks connected to Cuba’s government, the IRGC and other regimes viewed as threats to U.S. national security.
The arrest is one of the highest-profile immigration enforcement actions involving a family member of a Cuban regime-linked official in Florida.
Why It Matters
The case shows how the Trump administration is using immigration law as part of its broader foreign policy strategy. Rather than focusing only on sanctions abroad, officials are targeting individuals inside the United States who are accused of benefiting from or assisting hostile foreign regimes.
What Comes Next
Lastres Morera is expected to remain in ICE custody while deportation proceedings continue. The case could become a model for additional actions against relatives or associates of foreign regime elites living in the United States.
A related report said the Trump administration revoked Adys Lastres Morera’s green card over alleged ties to a Cuban military-run business network.
The Trump administration revoked a Cuban woman’s green card over alleged ties to a military-run Cuban conglomerate. https://t.co/hZTyLMVKzs
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 22, 2026
