U.S. Legislation Targets Human Trafficking of Cuban Doctors

A new law passed by Congress in February 2026 aims to punish countries complicit in human trafficking through Cuba’s medical missions abroad. For decades, the Cuban government has profited billions by coercing its medical professionals to work in undesirable locations under harsh conditions.

The regime reportedly earns an estimated $4 to $8 billion annually from this program, retaining 75% to 95% of the doctors’ pay. The U.S. State Department reports that the regime confiscates doctors’ passports, uses family members as leverage by keeping them in Cuba, assigns handlers to monitor the doctors, and punishes families if a doctor defects.

Since 2010, State Department reports have criticized the program, labeling it as human trafficking or forced labor by the Cuban regime in 2020. A provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 targets countries paying the Cuban dictatorship for these exploited workers. Countries must be listed by the State Department and notified they are on the list. If they remain on the list for two consecutive years, they lose all U.S. foreign aid. Involved foreign officials may face travel bans and frozen assets in the United States.

The law is already prompting changes, with countries like Guatemala, Jamaica, Guyana, and others reducing or ending their use of Cuban doctors. Some, like the Bahamas, attempt to pay doctors directly, a practice previously rejected by the Cuban regime. The Trump administration has also enforced this law with visa restrictions on officials from Brazil, Grenada, and certain African nations tied to the program.

This legislation enforces accountability, exposing beneficiaries of the program to real consequences, such as the loss of U.S. aid and financial sanctions. The law aims to support the Cuban people by protecting doctors from exploitation and reducing the regime’s financial gains.

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee and chair of its Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, emphasizes the importance of this legislation.