U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Friday it has lodged a detainer seeking the federal arrest and removal of a Cuban national who was arrested by Dallas police on homicide charges after authorities say he used a machete to behead a merchant.
Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a Cuban national, was arrested Wednesday and is being held at the Dallas County Jail, ICE said in a news release. The agency said the alleged attack occurred during an argument and that the suspect then kicked the victim’s head "around like a soccer ball" in front of the victim’s family.
ICE said Cobos-Martinez has a prior final order of removal to Cuba and was most recently in ICE Dallas custody before being released on an order of supervision on Jan. 13, 2025. The agency said Cuba declined to accept his return because of his criminal record.
The ICE release listed a lengthy criminal history that it said included child sexual abuse, grand theft auto, false imprisonment and carjacking. ICE officials said they lodged the detainer to facilitate federal arrest and removal proceedings against Cobos-Martinez following his Dallas arrest.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the killing in a statement quoted by ICE, calling the slaying "gruesome" and saying it "was completely preventable if this criminal illegal alien was not released into our country by the Biden Administration since Cuba would not take him back." In the same statement, McLaughlin said the incident underscored the agency's use of third-country removals and criticized prior release policies.
Dallas police charged Cobos-Martinez with homicide; their public-facing accounts and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. The department and county jail records show he remains in custody as local investigators and prosecutors proceed with the criminal case.
Under federal immigration procedures, a detainer asks local authorities to notify and hold an individual for transfer to federal custody to begin removal proceedings. Immigration officials said the detainer was lodged after the Dallas arrest to allow ICE to assume custody when local proceedings permit.
ICE has in recent years reported difficulties returning noncitizens to some countries when those countries refuse travel documents or repatriation for people with certain criminal histories, which can result in releases under supervision or other administrative measures. The agency said Cobos-Martinez’s prior release occurred because Cuban authorities would not accept him.
The case is likely to draw attention from lawmakers and immigration policy advocates who debate the balance between local law enforcement, federal removal priorities and the practical limits on deportations when receiving countries deny returns. For now, the immediate focus remains on the criminal investigation and the detention of Cobos-Martinez pending prosecutions and any federal actions related to his immigration status.
ICE said it lodged the detainer "for federal arrest and removal," and that it will seek to take custody once local authorities complete their criminal proceedings. Dallas prosecutors have not yet announced charges beyond the homicide count or a court date for Cobos-Martinez.