Driven by love and the fear of deportation, a Cuban man with an I-220A and his Mexican wife made the difficult decision to leave the life they had built in the United States and begin anew elsewhere.
Their decision, marked by courage and uncertainty, was shared by the young Mexican woman in a TikTok video that has moved thousands.
"My husband is a Cuban with an I-220A, and we've decided to leave the country. Making this decision wasn't easy at all," admitted the woman, identified as @sol_politico, at the beginning of September.
She recounted that after living in the United States for eight years, completing her education, and establishing a stable life, she had to pack everything to join her partner and prevent a forced separation.
Her husband, Jaziel, shared that he left Cuba in 2022 and was released by immigration with an I-220A, a document that places thousands of Cubans in a legal limbo: they lack a defined immigration status but are not immediately deportable.
"From the very beginning, we tried to resolve my situation. We applied for the Cuban Adjustment Act, but to this day, nothing has been resolved. We've spent thousands of dollars, and all we've gotten is a deportation process," he lamented.
Returning to Cuba was not an option for him. "In Cuba, I suffered from malnutrition, political persecution, and arrests. I was disappeared at 15 years old, thrown into an adult prison just for being the child of an opposition figure," he recalled. "I'm not willing to live through that again."
The couple decided to leave the U.S. before a deportation order could be issued. "I don't want to be constantly stressed, not knowing whether my husband is being arrested or mistreated in Cuba," she said.
"We've built an entire life here with hard work and honor, but we'd rather start from scratch together than live apart," she added.
A month after their departure, the young woman shared from Mexico that it was the best decision they could have made. "I was afraid to start over. I only knew how to be an adult in the U.S. because that's where I studied, worked, and lived my life. But Mexico has welcomed me with open arms and reminded me that you can learn everything again," she affirmed.
Although acknowledging the challenges, she remains hopeful. "We are resilient people. I have an incredible woman, and we know everything will go as God intends," the Cuban said in the video marking their farewell to the country where they dreamed of building their future.
Understanding the Cuban I-220A and Its Impact
What is an I-220A document?
An I-220A is a document issued by U.S. immigration authorities that places individuals, often Cubans, in a legal limbo where they have no defined immigration status but are not immediately subject to deportation.
Why did Jaziel decide to leave the U.S.?
Jaziel decided to leave the U.S. due to an unresolved immigration status and the fear of a potential deportation process, which would force him to return to Cuba, a country where he faced persecution and hardships.
How has the move to Mexico impacted the couple?
The move to Mexico, although challenging, has been positive for the couple. They have been welcomed with open arms and are learning to adapt and rebuild their lives in a new environment.