Man facing ICE deportation to the Congo: "I feel like a person who has no value"
Jose Yugar-Cruz, a South American man who sought asylum in the U.S. in 2024, was denied asylum but initially protected from deportation due to risks of torture in his home country. Despite a court order shielding him from removal, a federal judge recently allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport him to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country he has no ties to. His case reflects a broader Trump administration effort to expedite deportations to third countries, even when returnees face potential persecution.
- ▪Jose Yugar-Cruz arrived at the Arizona-Mexico border in July 2024 and requested asylum, which was denied in January 2025.
- ▪He was granted withholding of removal, a protection that typically prevents deportation to one's home country over torture concerns but allows deportation to third countries.
- ▪In May 2026, a federal judge ruled he could be deported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite having no family, language skills, or connections there.
- ▪The Trump administration has pursued agreements with 28 countries, including the DRC, to accept third-country deportees as part of a broader effort to deter migration.
- ▪The DRC and other third countries have provided diplomatic assurances that deportees will not face torture, though human rights advocates remain concerned.
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Politics South American man facing ICE deportation to the Congo says he feels "like a person who has no value" By Julia Ingram Julia Ingram Data Journalist Julia Ingram is a data journalist for CBS News Confirmed. She uses data analysis and computation to cover misinformation, AI and social media. Read Full Bio Julia Ingram May 1, 2026 / 11:56 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google When Jose Yugar-Cruz arrived at the Arizona-Mexico border in the July heat nearly two years ago, he told a federal court, he immediately turned himself into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and asked for asylum.
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