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A former Nicaraguan paramilitary faces deportation or statelessness after ICE detention
On Sept. 8, Marlon Gerardo Cruz, a former Sandinista official, faces an immigration court hearing after being detained during an Aug. 17 check-in with authorities in Los Angeles.
The former prisoner, who broke with the Nicaraguan government and was among 222 prisoners stripped of citizenship, is currently held at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center amid allegations of past paramilitary involvement.
Miguel Mora, who arrived in the same group, called the case "complicated" due to human rights abuse allegations, while Muriel, an accredited representative, noted his health has deteriorated significantly, citing a leg ulcer, glaucoma, and complications from childhood polio.
Under the Trump administration, immigration judges must weigh his past actions against potential torture risks, though authorities have increasingly bypassed Convention Against Torture protections by sending detainees to third countries in Africa and Latin America.
Deportation would send a message that "discourages future defections and reinforces the regime's narrative that there is no safe exit," reflecting the intense political scrutiny surrounding the parolee group's United States residency.
A former Nicaraguan military officer detained by U.S. immigration authorities could soon be deported to the country where he claimed to be imprisoned and tortured, or sent to another country where he would be stateless.