Wife pleads for release of Latin Grammy-winning Cuban musician detained by ICE

Mara Delgado, the wife of Latin Grammy-winning Cuban musician Degnis Nelson Bofill Miranda, is urgently seeking his release from ICE custody. Bofill, 39, was detained upon his arrival at Miami International Airport on August 19, after traveling from New York. Mara, deeply concerned, revealed to CBS News Miami that she fears her husband could be deported and that she may not see him again.

Bofill, a renowned Cuban percussionist and composer, was transferred to the Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade County following his arrest. He had previously been at the Miramar ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations office for several days. Delgado explained that the situation intensified upon her husband's arrest, as she understood the inherent risks for immigrants in such circumstances.

The couple, who met and married in Cuba in 2023 - the same year Bofill arrived in the United States, has a pending asylum case. Mara reiterated her husband's desire to continue this process outside of detention. She emphasized his status as an "illegal alien" who legally entered the U.S. in April 2023 but violated the terms of his admission.

ICE confirmed Bofill's arrest, stating that he is now in violation of immigration law. Delgado, however, wants to highlight her husband's musical contributions and his role in Miami's music community. Bofill, a respected figure among his peers, won the 2022 Latin Grammy for Best Folk Album for 'Ancestros Sinfónico.' He also serves on the Latin Recording Academy's voting body since January 2025.

Mara has launched an online fundraiser to cover her husband's legal costs and potential bond, aiming to raise $60,000. Despite the daunting challenges, her primary focus remains securing her husband's release while his immigration case continues. "I don't know when I will be able to see him again," Delgado expressed.