Humberto Lahera is an artist and considers himself part of Kentucky Derby history.
His painting of jockey William Walker won the famed Gallopalooza in 2024. This year, he designed Woodford Reserve’s Derby bottle and Forbes featured him on the magazine’s front page. And Gov. Andy Beshear selected him to create the Governor’s Derby Celebration poster.
Lahera came to the United States three years ago and applied for political asylum shortly after arriving in Louisville. He calls the city home. But today, he lives in fear of being arrested, detained or deported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
President Donald Trump’s administration is increasing immigration enforcement across the country. Immigration authorities arrested 265,226 people nationwide in the first six months of the year, according to the Data Deportation Project, a team of academics and lawyers who collects and posts public, anonymized U.S. government immigration enforcement datasets.
In Kentucky, ICE officials have arrested 3,452 people. Of those, 248 are from Cuba — the fourth-highest number of arrests by nationality in the state, following Mexico (1,257), Guatemala (838), and Honduras (421), according to the Data Deportation Project.
More than 1,300 immigrants born in Cuba have been deported in the past six months and more than half of them were sent to Mexico, according to the Data Deportation Project.
Nima Kulkarni, an immigration attorney and Democratic Kentucky state representative, said the Trump administration isn’t keeping their promise to go only after criminals, violent offenders, gang members and “the worst of the worst.”
“It quickly, quickly became apparent that they were simply trying to go after everybody,” she said. “Everybody, at this point, is worried.”
For Lahera and other Cubans, the fear of deportation grew more acute in June, when the Department of Homeland Security ended temporary protected status for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Then, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deport people to a third country.
Lahera said U.S. officials inspected him after he entered the country, but he received a Form I-220A, which does not acknowledge inspection at the border. With that form, he could not obtain a green card or seek citizenship under the Cuban Adjustment Act. Thousands of other Cubans also received the same form.
“I have heard of friends in Florida that have been deported with my same status, we are under asylum, political asylum,” Lahera said.
Louisville has one of the fastest growing Cuban populations in the country.
The city is attractive for low cost of living, cheaper housing and access to jobs, said Berta Weyenberg, president of the Cuban American Association of Kentucky.
“Cubans have about the same values as any regular American in the south. We believe in God, we value family, and we want to work and prosper, and Kentucky still offers a welcoming space for that,” she said.
Weyenberg said she’s not aware of any ICE enforcement in Louisville.
But some activists have claimed the agency is detaining people in the city.
Chris Clements, an English teacher for international students at Louisville’s downtown Jefferson Community and Technical College, said dozens of students stopped coming to class after immigration enforcement increased under the Trump administration.
At JCTC, 38% of the school’s international students received their high school diploma from Cuba, according to enrollment data obtained by LPM.
Clements said ICE contacted two of his students.
“Now others were just more worried, concerned that if this happened to two other students, why would it? When would it be my turn?” he said.
Luis Fuentes, publisher of El Kentubano and Vice President of the Cuban American Association of Kentucky, said he knows of five people that ICE took into custody.
All, he said, had a criminal record. But even if they didn’t, Fuentes said he would not protest against deportations.
He said he respects the law, the Constitution, and authority, regardless if he likes it or not.
“We escaped from a socialist system, and we had no courage, you know, we didn't do anything in Cuba for changing the system,” Fuentes said. “So I don't see in good eyes to be protesting or to be showing discomfort for the law and order, because, again, we were not able to do it in Cuba.”
Fuentes said Cubans open businesses, pay taxes, become teachers, doctors, lawyers and work in factories.
“The Cuban community is a plus for this country and is a plus for the city,” he said. “So, personally, I don't think we should be, you know, afraid.”
But some are.
Giselle Danger-Mercaderes left Cuba 20 years ago and is now a U.S. citizen. She likes to travel to places that remind her of home — Dominican Republic, Bahamas.
Since January, she’s more intentional than ever when it comes to checking her documents, ensuring she’s got proof of her citizenship. She’s been stopped twice in airports and taken to a room for questioning.
“This is a new era for Cubans,” Danger-Mercaderes said. “Some have always known that we are part of the, you know, a bigger system, and we are all immigrants, and we all face some of the similar challenges, but some feel a little comfortable, in my opinion.”
For Lahera, the United States was comfortable. But now, he worries about leaving Louisville. And the fear is costing him, he said.
He said he turned down an opportunity to collaborate as an artist with the Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia, the world’s richest horse race, due to his fear of ICE. He also canceled four other trips to San Diego, San Francisco, New York City and Miami in the last two months. In all, he estimates he’ll miss out on $30,000.
“I don't know where I'm gonna be tomorrow,” he said. “I don't know if I'm going to be here, or if I'm going to be deported to my country or to a third country.”
