Cubans Warned: "Your Residency Might Be at Risk" When Traveling to Cuba

The return of two Cuban nationals from the island to Miami International Airport led to a concerning revelation. An immigration officer informed them that their permanent residency in the United States could be in jeopardy. In light of this incident, journalist Javier Díaz discussed the matter with immigration attorney Patricia Hernández, who highlighted the risks faced by permanent residents each time they exit and re-enter the U.S.

Hernández explained that upon arriving at any entry point, residents might face deportation proceedings if a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer deems them inadmissible. This risk is heightened for those who originally crossed the border and adjusted their status through humanitarian parole.

The attorney warned that repeated trips to Cuba could be interpreted as fraudulent behavior: "While the parole benefit enabled them to secure residency, frequent returns to the island might be viewed as deceitful, leading to potential status revocation," she noted.

The Reality Behind the Warning

Díaz inquired if this was a genuine threat, to which Hernández suggested it seemed more like a cautionary move. "Their residency was returned, and they were allowed re-entry. This implies the officer intended to caution them, especially given the frequency of their visits. Having been in the U.S. for just over three years, they've already traveled back to Cuba four times," Hernández stated.

Stricter Immigration Policies Under Current Administration

Hernández emphasized that under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, immigration policies are more stringent, with a focus on increasing deportations. "It wasn't as problematic before, but now the goal is to revoke documents from as many individuals as possible," she pointed out.

Javier Díaz mentioned that in the case of the two Cubans he spoke with personally, they have yet to receive any postal notification for a court summons. Hernández clarified that typically, if a resident is deemed inadmissible, they are sent to "secondary inspection," where they receive a notice to appear before an immigration judge.

Advisory for Cuban Residents

In some cases, the residency card might even be confiscated: "That didn't happen here, reinforcing the idea that it was merely a warning," Hernández added. She stressed that every exit from the U.S. involves "requesting re-admission" upon return, which opens the door to background checks and scrutiny for any signs of fraud or inadmissibility.

"The risk is always present. My advice to Cuban residents is to exercise caution with their trips to the island," Hernández concluded.

Other recent incidents have similarly raised alarms within the Cuban community residing in the United States. Last March, another Cuban was questioned at Miami Airport after returning from Cuba, highlighting the scrutiny on those who claimed persecution upon entering the U.S. but later traveled back to their homeland.

Months later, a Cuban resident in the U.S. shared her experience of being interrogated upon arriving in Miami following a trip to Cuba, emphasizing the pressure and risk of losing migration benefits. In May, another traveler who returned to the U.S. after visiting the island warned of the potential repercussions of returning to a country from which they claimed to have fled.

More recently, the issue has been observed from a different angle, as regulated Cubans reported being prevented by the regime from returning to the U.S., illustrating how both departure and return can become contentious, with legal or political ramifications.