Since the Trump administration launched its crackdown on undocumented immigrants two years ago, the waiting room of Cuban-born immigration lawyer, Ismael Labrador, in Miami is never empty.
asserted
room → launch → Miami
His appointment book is packed with relatives of detained immigrants trying to secure their release before they're deported back to their countries of origin.
asserted
they → pack → origin
Although business is booming, Labrador wishes it wasn't.
asserted
it → boom → ?
"We have relatives living in fear right now, we've had relatives who have been deported back to Cuba, unfortunately," he explains.
asserted
he → have → Cuba
Cubans have traditionally enjoyed favoured immigration status in the United States under provisions enshrined in 1960s-era legislation called the Cuban Adjustment Act.
asserted
Cubans → enjoy → legislation
But widespread arrests across Florida by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have left the Cuban American community more vulnerable in the US than they'd ever imagined, says Labrador.
asserted
Labrador → leave → US
"The way I put it is that if you don't have a Green Card in the United States, you may be a target."
uncertain
you → put → States
Countless mobile phone videos have recorded such arrests in places previously considered off-limits: parents detained outside schoolyards, at bus stops, youth sporting events and even inside courthouses at pre-arranged immigration hearings.
asserted
videos → record → hearings
Few have had the impact of the footage of 39-year-old Ecuadorean immigrant, Grace Calero, and her 19-year-old daughter, Giulianna Carriel, being arrested in a hospital ward.
asserted
immigrant → have → ward
Two months ago, the pair were driving to work in Kissimmee, central Florida when they were hit by another car and taken to hospital in an ambulance.
asserted
they → drive → ambulance
While they were being treated for their injuries, ICE agents burst in and arrested them.
asserted
agents → treat → them
They were deported back to Ecuador within days.
asserted
They → deport → days
Labrador's cousin has also been caught up in the dragnet of ICE detentions.
asserted
cousin → catch → detentions
Despite his best efforts, the immigration lawyer was unable to prevent his own relative from being deported back to Cuba.
asserted
lawyer → prevent → Cuba
"It's hard when you're fighting against a lot of resources," he laments.
asserted
he → fight → resources
The Trump administration has repeatedly said the president was elected on a promise to deliver mass deportations and is delivering on that.
asserted
president → say → that
"He stopped the invasion of our country and as a result of his policies more than 3 million illegal aliens have left the US," a White House spokeswoman told the BBC last week.
asserted
spokeswoman → stop → BBC
ICE, meanwhile, has said it is targeting anyone who has broken American immigration law and is in the country illegally.
asserted
who → say → country
Labrador was among the 68% of Cuban Americans in Florida who voted for Donald Trump two years ago, a decision he roundly regrets today.
asserted
he → vote → decision
Few could accuse Trump of hiding his plans on immigration.
uncertain
Few → accuse → immigration
On the campaign trail in 2024, he touted his policy of mass deportations of undocumented migrants.
asserted
he → tout → migrants
"On Day One, I will launch the largest deportation programme in American history", he said repeatedly at rallies, including in Florida.
asserted
he → launch → Florida
Labrador – and many thousands of disillusioned Latino voters like him – thought the administration would only deport people with criminal records.
asserted
administration → think → records
"I think we got blindsided by the administration," he argues.
asserted
he → think → administration
"Personally, I voted for Trump because I wanted to get criminals out of the country," he says, alleging that "communists came in from Cuba under Biden."
asserted
communists → vote → Biden
"We wanted to have a safe America.
asserted
We → want → America
We never thought that he was going to go after everybody."
asserted
he → think → everybody
"This isn't what I voted for," he insists.
asserted
he → vote → what
Labrador is far from the only Cuban American in Florida to experience buyer's remorse over President Trump.
asserted
Labrador → experience → Trump
Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, who represents Florida's 27th Congressional district, recently released a video filmed outside the White House in which she distanced herself from his deportation policy saying it had gone "too far".
asserted
it → represent → policy
"The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today," she said, addressing President Trump.
asserted
she → help → Trump
Salazar is locked in a tight race against another Cuban American, the Democratic Party's candidate, Eliott Rodríguez.
asserted
Salazar → lock → American
Her close association with Trump on immigration could potentially cost Salazar her congressional seat.
uncertain
association → cost → seat
Florida remains a Trump stronghold.
asserted
Florida → remain → ?
At a recent gathering of Cuban American entrepreneurs in Miami, the atmosphere remained staunchly pro-Trump.
asserted
atmosphere → remain → Miami
"Miami loves Trump, Cuban Americans love Trump," says real estate businessman, Juan Omar Sixto, motioning at the other guests behind him.
asserted
businessman → love → him
"They agree with Trump that anyone who crossed the border illegally should be out," he says, despite acknowledging he illegally entered the US himself six decades earlier.
asserted
he → agree → US
A poll released on Thursday, external by Florida International University found that not all South Florida Cubans agree - 76% said they disapprove of the Trump administration's deportations of Cubans with no criminal record.
asserted
they → release → record
But their support for the Republican Party remains steadfast, with 68% saying they plan to vote Republican in November.
asserted
they → remain → November
In other parts of the country, support amongst Latinos is declining.
asserted
support → decline → Latinos
…and 25 more, not listed.
The Aporia
