Cuban Activist Raises Alarm Over Mass Asylum Case Closures in the U.S. Without Appeal Rights

Salomé García Bacallao, a prominent Cuban activist, has brought attention to the troubling trend of mass asylum case closures in the United States, where many applicants are left without the opportunity to present their case to a judge or file an appeal. This development has particularly impacted immigrants from Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, García Bacallao highlighted in a recent Facebook post.

García Bacallao noted a sharp increase in official notifications labeled “Notice of Dismissal of Form I-589,” indicating the final closure of asylum applications without a court hearing or legal recourse. “These individuals are then left waiting for a date for a credible fear interview,” she explained. In numerous instances, applicants have been detained during routine immigration checks, often without prior notification of their case's closure.

This alarming situation could lead to immediate deportations or prolonged and indefinite detentions under harsh conditions. The activist attributes this wave to a new immigration policy, which she claims aims to increase detentions and deportations to a target of “3,000 people per day,” a figure reportedly cited by influential Republican advisor Stephen Miller.

The Impact of New Immigration Policies

According to García Bacallao, the policy has transformed administrative procedures into deportable offenses, even for minor infractions such as unauthorized employment or overstaying a visa. She also pointed out that these measures have resulted in large-scale raids in workplaces and near schools, creating a perpetual state of vulnerability for immigrant communities.

Despite having legal representation and documentation proving political persecution—such as sentences for participating in the July 11, 2021 protests in Cuba—many applicants from the island have received closure letters. “I don’t want to hear anyone say ‘get a good lawyer’ anymore,” García Bacallao remarked. “I know people with excellent legal representation who have been rejected all the same,” she stated firmly.

Human Rights Concerns and Call to Action

Simultaneously, Human Rights Watch has issued an urgent call to halt the deportation of 13 Cuban dissidents, including Eliexer Márquez "El Funky", co-author of the song “Patria y Vida.” The organization criticizes the U.S. for using fabricated criminal records by the Cuban regime as grounds to deny protection to political refugees.

García Bacallao emphasized the need for an organized community response. “What we are experiencing will not be resolved on a case-by-case basis. It requires a collective and determined response to prevent normalizing these violations,” she urged. She called on citizens, voters, and Cuban-American representatives to break their silence. “Taking to the streets isn’t the only way. You can call Congress, demand respect for human rights, and stop this authoritarian drift,” she maintained.

Potential Implications of Supreme Court Decisions

Finally, the activist warned about the impending Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of birthright citizenship in the U.S., a right established since 1898. If this principle is overturned, she cautioned, “millions of naturalized citizens could be at risk of losing their nationality.”

“I believe our first duty is to restore democracy in Cuba, so we can return and so our people don’t have to keep fleeing and we can live a dignified life there. But I can assure you after living in several countries in irregular situations for six years, resigning ourselves to that state of vulnerability will not help our cause. The right to vote, to freedom of expression and movement, and to due process is worth defending,” she concluded.