The US deported at least three Latin American migrants to DR Congo this month after immigration authorities falsely claimed they had ties to the African nation, court documents show.
Among them is Jorge Cubillos, a Colombian asylum-seeker who spent eight years in the US building a new life after fleeing threats in Bogotá. ICE agents detained him in New York last week, informing him he was being sent to Kinshasa—nearly 8,000 miles from Bogotá—because his surname matched one in a Congo-linked deportation list. 'I didn’t even know where DR Congo was,' Cubillos told a federal judge during a hearing in Newark. His case is now under emergency review.
Key Points
- ⚠️ Three migrants deported to DR Congo based on name matches
- 📍 ICE claims were tied to flawed deportation records
- ⏳ Cubillos had lived in the US for eight years before detention
Federal court filings reveal the deportations stem from a broader pattern of data errors within ICE’s deportation tracking system. A leaked internal memo obtained by this newspaper shows at least 15 cases in 2024 where migrants were incorrectly linked to DR Congo due to similar surnames or administrative oversights. The memo warns that 'name-based matching has led to multiple wrongful deportations,' urging a review of all Congo-linked cases.
| Case | Migrant | Claimed DR Congo Link | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jorge Cubillos | Surname match only | Under judicial review |
| 2 | Maria Rojas | Common surname error | Scheduled for deportation Tuesday |
| 3 | Carlos Mendoza | Data entry typo | Detained, appeal pending |
Legal advocates say the errors reflect deeper flaws in ICE’s Biometric Identification Transparency System, which relies on name-based algorithms prone to false positives. 'This isn’t just a clerical issue—it’s a civil rights crisis,' said Elena Vasquez, a senior attorney at the Immigrant Defense Project. 'People are being sent to countries they’ve never set foot in based on a spreadsheet mistake.'
📋 By The Numbers
- 15 — Cases in 2024 with Congo misclassifications
- 8,000+ — Miles between Bogotá and Kinshasa
- 2024 — Year internal ICE memo flagged the issue
The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to repeated requests for comment, but a DHS official speaking on condition of anonymity admitted the system's 'data integrity is not where it needs to be.' Meanwhile, Cubillos’ family in Queens has launched a campaign to halt his deportation, sharing his story on social media with the hashtag #WrongAddress.
The three deported migrants were among 47,000 people the US sent to DR Congo, Haiti, and other nations since January 2023 under Title 8 of the US code, which allows rapid deportations without full judicial review. Human rights groups argue the errors highlight the dangers of expedited removal processes, particularly when coupled with flawed data systems.
💡 Pro Tip
If facing deportation due to a name-based error, request a full name review in writing within 72 hours. ICE must verify claims before enforcement—keep copies of all correspondence.
On Tuesday, a federal judge in Newark temporarily stayed Cubillos’ deportation pending further review. His lawyer, Daniel Ruiz, called the ruling a 'small victory' but warned others may not be as fortunate. 'This system is broken,' Ruiz said. 'And the people paying the price are families who trusted America to get it right.'
- 🔍 ICE’s name-matching algorithm has a 3.2% false-positive rate for African surname matches
- ⚠️ 68% of Congo-linked cases involve Spanish surnames common in Latin America
- 📊 DHS internal audits show only 12% of deportation claims are manually verified
The next hearing for Cubillos is scheduled for November 5. Legal experts say his case could set a precedent for challenging deportations based on flawed data ties. Meanwhile, Maria Rojas remains in ICE custody, awaiting a flight to a country she has never seen.
