Rare look inside U.S. deportation flight to Cuba: handcuffs, tears and broken families

This story was reported in collaboration with independent media outlet Belly of the Beast .

A deportation flight carrying 150 Cuban detainees landed Thursday at Havana's José Martí International Airport, offering a rare glimpse into the emotional toll of the process.

At first glance, the flight looked like any other from the United States to Cuba . But on board, passengers were handcuffed, many in tears, while others described a sense of relief that their time in U.S. detention was finally over.

A crew from Belly of the Beast captured images of detainees stepping off the plane after their handcuffs were removed inside. Soon after, stories of family separation emerged.

One woman said she was forcibly separated from her American-born 2-year-old daughter: " They mistreated me,