Florida federal judge dies days after ordering release of Cuban plane hijacker

Judge John E. Steele, 77, died suddenly days after ordering the release of a man convicted of aircraft piracy from immigration custody. A law clerk for Chief Judge Marcia Morales Howard of the Middle District of Florida confirmed the death. The circumstances were not immediately clear. A legal source in Miami also verified the report.

Background on the ruling Steele issued the July 8 order releasing Maikel Guerra Morales, who hijacked a Cuban commuter plane in 2003 and forced it to land at Key West International Airport. Guerra Morales served more than 20 years in prison for aircraft piracy and conspiracy to interfere with a flight crew.

Immigration authorities took Guerra Morales into custody in December 2025 and held him for more than six months while attempting to arrange deportation to Mexico. Steele ruled that continued detention was not justified because removal was not reasonably foreseeable.

The judge cited a Supreme Court decision limiting indefinite detention of foreign nationals when deportation cannot be carried out. The order stated that immigration authorities had not shown they had contacted Mexico about accepting the individual.

Congressional response On the day before Steele's death, Rep.

Greg Steube filed articles of impeachment against the judge. The resolution accused Steele of committing high crimes and misdemeanors. Steube told Fox News that the judge had legal grounds to keep the individual in custody but chose release instead. The impeachment filing followed public criticism of the ruling.