Activist Judge Orders Release of Illegal Alien Convicted for Hijacking an Aircraft

The Clinton-appointed judge ordered ICE to release this convicted criminal

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after a U.S. District judge ordered the release of a criminal illegal alien from Cuba, previously convicted for hijacking an aircraft, from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody into American communities.

On July 8, Judge John E. Steele in the Middle District of Florida ordered that ICE must release Maikel Guerra Morales, a criminal illegal alien from Cuba, from ICE custody into Florida communities. Following the judge's order, ICE was forced to release him.

According to media reporting, Morales boarded a commuter aircraft in Nueva Gerona, Cuba on March 19, 2003, assaulted crew members, and forced the pilot to fly to Key West, Florida. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service and charged with aircraft piracy and conspiracy to interfere with a flight crew. Upon his conviction, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

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Maikel Guerra Morales

"This activist judge forced ICE to release a criminal illegal alien who was convicted and sentenced to 22 years for hijacking a plane back into American communities," said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "This is yet another example of an activist judge trying to thwart President Trump's mandate from the American people to remove criminal illegal aliens from our country. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS will continue to fight for the detention and removal of criminal illegal aliens who have no right to be in our country."

A Department of Justice (DOJ) Immigration Judge issued Morales a final order of removal on March 1, 2023. ICE took Morales into custody in December 2025 following the completion of his prison sentence