Cuban Woman Chooses to Leave U.S. and Return to Cuba with Her American Daughter: "I Have a Home, Car, and Family There"

A Cuban woman residing in the United States has stirred extensive discussion on social media by announcing her permanent return to Cuba with her daughter, who holds American citizenship. She cited three main reasons for her decision in a TikTok video.

The creator, known as Heydita (@heydi_garcia18), shared a 17-second video on May 28 where she outlined her reasoning, which blends political expectations with material and familial considerations.

“Three reasons I'm going back to Cuba for good with my American citizen daughter: first, I believe the dictatorship in Cuba will fall; second, I believe Cuba will become part of the United States; and third, I have a house, car, and family in Cuba,” she stated in the video.

In the video's description, she added, "I'm going back in 10 days."

Uncommon Justifications for Returning to Cuba

Heydita’s rationale is unusual among the viral trend of Cubans announcing their return to the island, as her reasons are largely political. Typically, such announcements are driven by economic fatigue, loneliness, or a desire to reunite with family.

Regarding the idea of “annexation,” there is no formal proposal from the U.S. government to integrate Cuba into its territory. Former President Donald Trump made speculative comments in April 2026 about the U.S. “potentially making a stop in Cuba,” within a broader expansionist narrative that also mentioned Canada and Greenland, but no official proposal has been put forth.

Heydita’s belief in such a scenario highlights the political speculation prevalent among Cubans on social media, fueled by Trump administration statements and uncertainty about the future of Cuba’s regime.

Patterns of Return Amid Ongoing Emigration

The video is part of a continuing trend from 2025 to 2026 where Cuban expatriates publicly announce their voluntary return to Cuba. These returns, however, are statistically minimal compared to the ongoing mass emigration and deportations.

In 2025, at least 3,757 Cubans were deported from the U.S., along with 1,535 repatriated on 52 flights from the United States and other countries. February 2026 saw a single flight returning 170 Cubans to the island.

Other recent viral cases of Cubans returning home have cited reasons like avoiding bill payments, job burnout, or family reunification, but none have combined these decisions with arguments about the regime's downfall or potential annexation by the United States.

The fact that Heydita’s daughter is an American citizen added another layer to the discussion, with numerous comments questioning the implications of taking an American child to live under Cuba's dictatorship while awaiting an uncertain political change.