Daniela Fuentes, a transgender Cuban immigrant who ran a beauty salon and performed drag at Club Azúcar in Miami, was arrested outside the Stardust motel on Calle 8 after a cleaning attendant mistook her for homeless and called police. Authorities discovered she had missed an immigration court date in Texas after requesting a venue change and never receiving a response, resulting in an expedited deportation order. She was held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and Lake County Detention Center, where she says she was forced to remove her wig and clothing, cut her hair, and 'de-transition' to survive as a man among male detainees. On August 31, 2026, she was flown more than 10,000 kilometers to Bangui, Central African Republic, alongside a group of chained men, without being told her destination in advance; advocacy group Immigration Equality says it has identified a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ people being sent to third countries where they may face persecution.