Cuban Doctor's Life Stalled by Travel Ban: Appeals to Marco Rubio for Assistance

A Cuban doctor, with over 30 years of expertise in her field, finds herself stranded in Mexico due to a travel ban imposed by the United States government since June.

The doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous, traveled to Mexico City to continue her immigration process under the EB-2 NIW visa. However, she states that a proclamation signed by Donald Trump on June 9 has left her case in "an inescapable limbo."

In a direct plea, she reached out to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seeking his intervention. She argues that her professional future and family stability hinge on the currently stalled process.

Her request calls for a reassessment of the treatment of Cuban applicants under this visa category, which aims to attract highly skilled professionals who contribute to the U.S. national interest.

Struggles with U.S. Immigration System

Her case was approved by USCIS in May 2025 but has since been stuck at the National Visa Center. Her worries intensified upon learning that Cubans and Venezuelans with similar applications face "indefinite administrative processing," as the only way to bypass the travel ban at affected consulates is through dual citizenship, which she lacks.

The doctor highlights her dedication of 35 years to Cuba's public health sector and, despite earning less than $20 a month, she chose to emigrate legally. She embarked on this lengthy and costly process to contribute to combating chronic diseases in the U.S.

Impact of the Travel Ban

The travel ban partially restricts Cuba, suspending visas for tourism, business, study, and exchange, complicating consular processes like hers. While immediate family reunification categories continue, other visas, including many immigrant ones, experience delays, additional reviews, and operational limitations in third-country consulates such as those in Mexico.

Doctor's Letter to Marco Rubio

Below is the letter sent by the doctor, as received by our editorial team:

Mexico City, November 23, 2025

United States Senate

Secretary of State and National Security Advisor/Mr. Marco Rubio

Washington, D.C.

Subject: Request for Constituent Assistance - Challenges with Consular Processing (EB-2 NIW Visa)

Dear Mr. Secretary of State,

I write to you as a concerned constituent requesting your kind assistance regarding my immigrant visa case. My name is S.C.A., and I am the principal beneficiary of a Second Preference Immigrant Visa Petition for National Interest Waiver (EB-2 NIW), approved by USCIS on May 21, 2025. Currently, my case is stuck in the Consular Processing phase at the National Visa Center (NVC), facing severe delays and logistical challenges due to my Cuban nationality and the constraints at the assigned consulate, which threatens the timely implementation of my proposed efforts.

I wish to express my concerns regarding the Travel Ban imposed in June and its repercussions on our community. While I understand the importance of protecting national security, this measure has significantly impacted families and residents of our state. I believe it is crucial for our representatives to listen to these experiences.

I respectfully reach out to you with the sole interest of requesting a review of one of the immigrant visas, specifically the EB-2 NIW visa, which is in the national interest of the U.S.

Following the proclamation that took effect on June 9, 2025, signed by President Donald Trump, a new travel ban with a total suspension for 12 countries and partial restrictions for seven others, including Cuba and Venezuela, specifically affects this visa.

In general terms, NIW stands for National Interest Waiver, a category within the U.S. green card application process, specifically under the EB-2 visa category. Typically, the second preference for employment-based immigrant visas (EB-2) requires a specific job offer and a labor certification obtained by the employer (PERM). The certification process ensures that no qualified U.S. workers are available for the position, thereby protecting the national labor market.

However, under the National Interest Waiver (NIW), a foreign national can apply for a waiver of the job offer and labor certification requirement by demonstrating that their admission to permanent residency significantly benefits the national interest of the United States. This allows them to apply for an immigrant visa independently, without employer sponsorship. The legal framework governing NIW petitions was clarified in the precedent decision of the Matter of Dhanasar (2016) and more recently reinforced with the USCIS policy update of January 2025, providing further guidance on how USCIS officers evaluate proposed initiatives, applicant qualifications, and national interest considerations.

When we consider Executive Order (EO) 14212 on the "Establishment of the Make America Healthy Again Commission" signed by President Trump on February 13, 2025, it directly addresses U.S. healthcare system reforms, including health plans, by creating the Make America Healthy Again Commission.

Chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Commission will include representatives from the Departments of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Veterans Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, the National Economic Council, the Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The EO considers that the United States must refocus its national approach, both in the public and private sectors, towards understanding and drastically reducing chronic disease rates and ending childhood chronic diseases.

The 2025 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey revealed that rising chronic disease rates contribute to overall healthcare spending, including illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and obesity.

Additionally, on November 13, 2025, the U.S. government introduced a new interpretation of the "public charge" rule and expanded medical criteria that could disqualify visa applicants in the United States, allowing visa denials for applicants with obesity, cancer, diabetes, or other chronic diseases. This measure, instructed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marks a significant expansion of the medical criteria used to assess immigrants' admissibility.

This suggests that the U.S. could face a deficit of over 6 million workers by 2030. The massive talent shortage facing the U.S. (and expected to continue over the coming decades) results from multiple societal and economic shifts, such as demographic trends (aging workforce), changing preferences among Gen Z and Millennials, skill mismatches, geographic disparities, and other factors.

I agree with the arguments made for the "Travel Ban" for citizens of several countries, justified on national security grounds, to protect the U.S. from terrorists and other public security threats. Similarly, as a healthcare professional, I recognize that diabetes is the most expensive disease for the U.S. healthcare system, accounting for 1 in every 4 healthcare dollars and is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S., directly responsible for over 103,000 deaths annually and nearly 400,000 more, like other chronic diseases that need addressing. With annual costs exceeding $413 billion in direct medical expenses and lost productivity, the financial pressure on businesses, health plans, and policymakers has reached unprecedented levels.

I am a Cuban public health professional with over 35 years of uninterrupted work in the health sector, who, like many others, left my country to provide services to support my family, despite knowing that what would be paid for my work had nothing to do with what I would receive. Even knowing this, I had to choose that option, often serving as cheap labor, because in Cuba, a professional's salary does not reach a total of $20 a month due to a failing system with the shortages and situations everyone knows. Despite the large influx of immigration from various countries to the United States, I chose the legal route by learning about this type of visa and, despite limitations, decided to pursue this visa, achieving with patience and perseverance—which is not synonymous with not having needs—to approve this first stage of the process, the I-140 for an EB-2NIW national interest visa.

Continuous study is never wasted, and based on my experiences, I intend to launch a similar but broader initiative in the United States, refining its approach and adapting strategies to the U.S. healthcare landscape. Its goal is to develop an educational program for both patients and healthcare professionals, with a particular focus on combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes mellitus.

This initiative will support the implementation of health programs, improve preventive measures, assess and refer potential diabetic patients, and enhance adherence to safe therapeutic plans. This will improve the quality of life for patients while empowering U.S. primary care teams in their ongoing efforts to improve community health. The ultimate goal is to promote healthy lifestyles, prevent morbidity and mortality from unhealthy habits, and restore health when lost.

While awaiting a consular appointment in the second stage of the visa, I have learned from other professionals with I-140 approved by USCIS, specifically Venezuelans, that at the consular appointment, they are placed in administrative processing because the only exemption is having another nationality. In my case, like many others, I risk presenting only my Cuban citizenship. We all share the desire to help by offering the only thing I learned during my 58 years of studies, the same reason that unites engineers, doctors, nurses, etc., who only had this option; we are not criminals or terrorists, nor are we part of the corrupt elite of our states, because they will always find a way to leave the country. I speak of the common people, but thoroughly verifying them could be possible. If statistics are reviewed, there are no Cubans with this type of visa approved, perhaps not because of a lack of professionals but because almost none can afford these processes with the help of lawyers or on their own, as in my case.

I only wish to call for future reviews to consider and keep in mind this type of EB-2 NIW visa of national interest for the United States, where all I-140 approved are professionals who only want to help through their profession and comply with the system by aligning with the national interest of the country honestly, because affecting them would detract from the nation's own interests. I hope necessary measures are taken to ensure the choice does not tarnish U.S. national security. Although the Travel Ban is partial for these seven countries, there is no clarity with this EB-2 NIW national interest visa for the United States.

I thank you in advance for your attention to this significant concern and trust that you will consider the human and social impact of this policy.

I remain available to provide any additional information you may need.

Sincerely,

S.C.A (Master in Clinical Pharmacy)