Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that federal immigration authorities have arrested the sister of a top Cuban regime official living in Florida, escalating the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on individuals tied to the communist government in Havana.
According to Rubio, Adys Lastres Morera was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and will remain detained pending deportation proceedings after the administration revoked her lawful permanent resident status.
Rubio stated that Lastres Morera entered the U.S. as a green card holder on Jan. 13, 2023, during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
The secretary of state said he personally moved to terminate her immigration status after determining her continued presence in the U.S. posed a threat to American foreign policy interests because of her alleged connections to Cuba’s military-controlled economic empire.
At the center of the controversy is Grupo de Administración Empresarial, commonly known as GAESA, a massive business network tied directly to Cuba’s communist regime and military leadership.
Rubio said Lastres Morera is the sister of Ania Guillermina Lastres, who oversees the conglomerate that controls large portions of Cuba’s economy.
According to ICE and Rubio, Adys Lastres Morera was allegedly managing real estate holdings in Florida while simultaneously assisting the Cuban regime and benefiting from wealth tied to the communist government.
“For far too long, the family members of terrorist organizations, repressive anti-American regimes, and other bad actors who would threaten the national security of the United States have been given a free pass to enjoy the privileges of living in the United States,” Rubio said in a statement.
“Past Administrations have permitted the families of Cuban military elites, Iranian terrorists, and other reprehensible organizations to enjoy lavish lifestyles in our country funded by stolen blood-money, while the people they repress at home suffer in increasingly dire circumstances,” he continued.
Rubio made clear the Trump administration intends to aggressively target foreign nationals connected to adversarial regimes.
“No longer. Under President Trump, we are removing from our country the family members of IRGC terrorists and Cuban regime elites,” Rubio stated.
“Let me be very clear: if you threaten the national security of the United States, there will be nowhere on this earth — much less in our country — that you and your cronies can live lavishly.”
Rubio additionally posted on X that Lastres Morera had been “managing real estate assets and living in Florida” before her arrest.
Federal authorities say she is removable under Section 237(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows deportation when the secretary of state determines a foreign national’s presence could create serious adverse foreign policy consequences, per the Conservative Brief.
John Condon said allowing individuals tied to Cuba’s ruling apparatus to remain inside the United States would undermine national security and foreign policy objectives.
“Allowing Lastres Morera to remain in the country would send a signal that Cuban regime-affiliated networks could continue to access the U.S.’s financial, educational and social institutions,” Condon said.
GAESA remains one of the most powerful organizations inside Cuba, reportedly controlling as much as 70% of the country’s economy through tourism, remittances, banking operations and state-run businesses tied directly to the communist regime.
U.S. officials believe the conglomerate controls billions of dollars in overseas assets and functions as a financial engine for the Castro-era government.
The arrest marks one of the highest-profile immigration enforcement actions yet tied directly to family members of senior Cuban regime officials living inside the U.S. under the Trump administration.
