Deported transgender woman from Miami now hides identity in Central African Republic

Daniela Fuentes, a 32-year-old Cuban transgender woman who lived openly and worked as a hairstylist and performer in Miami, was deported by the Trump administration to the Central African Republic, a country she had no ties to and had never known about before the flight. Now living in a government compound with other Cuban deportees, she says she hides her identity by wearing men’s clothes and lowering her voice, fearing for her safety in a country with little legal protection for transgender people. Fuentes also described being detained with men in the United States, where her wig was taken. Her case has drawn concern from advocates who say third-country deportations can expose vulnerable migrants to serious risks; the Supreme Court has allowed the policy to continue, at least temporarily.