For over two decades, Roxana Maldonado has lived in the United States, but her world was turned upside down in 2023. Her husband, Reinier Gutiérrez, was deported back to Cuba after spending months in U.S. immigration detention. Their story mirrors the plight of many Cuban families torn apart by deportation: facing hardship, anxiety, bureaucratic hurdles, and an excruciatingly long wait filled with powerlessness.
On July 3, Roxana traveled to Cuba with her children to reunite with Reinier. Though her hands trembled too much to capture the moment on her phone, she shared her emotional experience in a video posted on TikTok under the username @roxanamaldonado_. "You all know that since my husband's deportation, I've been advocating and going crazy on social media," she explained. "I finally made it to Cuba. Motembo is on fire!"
The video, filled with nervous laughter and the natural chaos of a mother multitasking, including her daughter eating ice cream mid-testimony, shows Roxana trying to piece together a fragmented reality caused by distance and circumstances. "Resetting a little bit, let's see what happens here, giving you all an update," she said with hope, from the red soil of Villa Clara.
The Deep Scars of Separation
Roxana's husband was deported during the Biden administration, despite her being a U.S. citizen and the mother of a citizen baby with health issues. "They didn't let us get married, didn't give me a chance to present anything humanitarian," she lamented.
What hurts her most isn't the material loss but the forced silence due to power outages and poor connectivity in the rural area where her husband lives. "Every time I talk to him, I can't finish a conversation. Neither recharges nor data, nothing works." Ironically, her husband relies on an old generator he sent to Cuba while living in the U.S., which now needs fixing to maintain communication with his family.
Despite these challenges, Roxana remains undeterred. "I'm going with the kids, to reset a bit because this has been a two-year process," she stated. Her voice, a blend of exhaustion and determination, encapsulates the resilience of countless Cuban women who shoulder the burden of raising children, enduring migration-related grief, and battling a system that overlooks them.
Roxana's husband's story is just one of many that have recently stirred public consciousness. Ariel Cruz Penton, for instance, was deported to Mexico after spending seven years without a criminal record in the U.S. Similarly, Heydi Sánchez, another Cuban mother deported in April, still awaits family reunification from the island, even though her request has been approved.
Each of these accounts brings a human face to the migration crisis. These families' stories remind us that deportation doesn't end when the plane lands. It marks the beginning of a silent struggle, where the hardest part isn't the exile, but the emotional distance, the inability to communicate with loved ones, and the despair of not knowing when — or if — you'll be together again.
Understanding the Impact of Deportation on Cuban Families
How did Roxana manage to reunite with her husband in Cuba?
Roxana traveled to Cuba with her children to reunite with her husband Reinier Gutiérrez, sharing her emotional experience on TikTok.
What challenges do deported individuals and their families face?
Deported individuals and their families face numerous challenges, including emotional distress, communication barriers due to poor connectivity, and bureaucratic hurdles in reuniting.
What is the broader impact of deportation on Cuban families?
Deportation deeply impacts Cuban families by separating them, causing emotional and financial strain, and creating obstacles to communication and reunification.