"God, help me make this goodbye short," wrote Yisel Miguel Sarduy on Facebook, sharing the last moments with her husband, Cuban national Davy Alemán Oropesa, who was compelled to leave the United States following an ICE order. Videos shared by Yisel depict their daughter playing at the airport just moments before the farewell, a decision made by her father to voluntarily exit the country to avoid prolonged detention and forced deportation, as directed by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Univision's journalist, Javier Díaz, reported on the heart-wrenching moments. "Very sad images, Cuban Davy Alemán Oropesa chose to return to Cuba voluntarily on Sunday, September 14, essentially a self-deportation, as the government informed him that he had until that day to leave the country," he recounted.
Alemán leaves behind his wife, his young daughter—a two-year-old in need of a heart transplant—and Yisel's eldest daughter, both now facing the uncertainty of how to sustain themselves financially in the U.S. Cameras captured the moment Alemán, accompanied by his family, arrived at Miami International Airport. After a poignant farewell hug, he passed through the TSA security checkpoint.
"Once he crossed that line, there was no turning back," Díaz noted. From Cuba, Alemán will await the family reunification process and a migration waiver, supported by his wife's petition to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The Difficult Decision to Leave
Leaving was not an easy choice. The day before, Díaz had described the family's ordeal: "Very few migrants in this situation would voluntarily choose to leave the country. This Cuban migrant arrived in the U.S. seven years ago with a suitcase full of dreams and now has to leave without knowing when he might return," he reported on Facebook.
Alemán explained his decision to self-deport to avoid immigration detention. "They told me I needed a plane ticket, or they would detain and deport me from there," he recounted. Back in 2017, he spent over a year in ICE custody, an ordeal he is determined not to relive.
Family Struggles Intensify
The situation hits his family hard. Yisel had to quit her job to care for their daughter after open-heart surgery, while the child now awaits a transplant as her only chance for survival. "I practically see myself living on the street because how can I care for my daughter and pay rent?" Yisel lamented.
In recent hours, Yisel shared a series of videos that moved hundreds on social media. One shows the little girl crying inconsolably as she watches her father pack his belongings into the car. "How do I explain to her that tomorrow he won't be able to take her with him?" Yisel wrote.
Davy Alemán Oropesa's departure adds to the recent cases of Cubans opting for self-deportation under ICE pressure to avoid prolonged detention. Yet few cases so starkly reveal the human dimension of forced exile as this farewell, sealed with hugs and tears at a Miami airport.
Understanding Self-Deportation and Its Impact
What is self-deportation, and why did Davy Alemán choose it?
Self-deportation is when an individual voluntarily leaves a country to avoid forced deportation or detention. Davy Alemán chose this path to circumvent the risks of prolonged detention by ICE.
How does Davy Alemán's departure affect his family in the U.S.?
Alemán's departure leaves his family, including a daughter needing a heart transplant, in a precarious financial situation, with his wife unable to work due to caregiving responsibilities.
What are the next steps for Alemán and his family?
Alemán will wait in Cuba for the family reunification process and a migration waiver, relying on his wife's USCIS petition to support his return to the U.S.