Overview
- U.S. District Judge John E. Steele ordered Maikel Guerra Morales released from ICE custody under court supervision on July 8 after finding continued detention unlawful under the Supreme Court’s Zadvydas framework.
- Morales is reported to be living in the Miami area under monitoring, with outlets saying he was released wearing electronic monitoring while ICE continues removal efforts.
- Morales was convicted for a 2003 hijacking that forced a Cuban commuter plane to Key West, served about 22 years in federal prison, and was transferred to ICE custody in December 2025 after a 2023 removal order.
- The Department of Homeland Security sharply condemned the ruling, calling the judge’s action improper, while ICE says it remains committed to deportation though the final destination—Mexico or direct return to Cuba—remains unclear.
- Legal experts and coverage note the case highlights two tensions in immigration enforcement: courts limiting prolonged post‑sentence detention when no removal is foreseeable and practical diplomatic or logistical barriers that can keep nationals from being returned quickly.