A Cuban woman, deported from the United States and currently residing in Cancún, Mexico, shared a poignant TikTok video on Monday. The video captures the moment she says goodbye to her three children as they return to Houston, Texas, after a two-month visit. Known on the platform as Yadi (@yadicool6), she recorded the farewell at Cancún International Airport, describing the experience as heart-wrenching.
"No one is prepared for this moment... After two months, I must say goodbye to my children. No family should endure such separation," Yadi wrote in the video's description.
The footage shows Yadi embracing her children — Catherine, Jonathan, and Emily — one by one before they proceed through customs and immigration, beyond which she cannot accompany them.
"This is where customs and immigration mean we must part ways, and I can't go any further," she says in the video.
Yadi describes the ordeal as "the greatest pain imaginable," recounting how she nearly fainted from distress while rushing through the terminal to be with her children. Someone even offered to call a doctor, assistance she declined.
Before their parting, the family had to unpack their luggage at the airport due to a $500 excess baggage fee.
"This shouldn't happen," Yadi states in the video, lamenting the forced separations. "It's unjust that a mother and her children must be apart."
This video stands in stark contrast to the joyful reunion that occurred two months prior. Yadi's emotional reunion with her children in Cancún took place on June 5, 2026, following an 11-month separation after her deportation. The children traveled from Houston to visit her. Now, as their visit ends, they return to the U.S., leaving Yadi alone once more in Mexico.
Cancún has become a meeting point for families divided by deportations, where children with U.S. documentation can visit as tourists, but a deported mother cannot re-enter the United States.
Yadi's case is part of a broader immigration crisis. A Human Rights Watch report from May 2026 highlighted that between January 20, 2025, and March 9, 2026, the U.S. deported nearly 13,000 third-country nationals to Mexico, with Cubans being the largest group at 4,353 individuals. Remarkably, 26% of these Cubans had no criminal records in the U.S.
Many of these deportees find themselves in a legal limbo in Mexico, without valid documentation, work permits, or a clear path to regularization, while Cuba is often reluctant to accept their return. Testimonies from stranded Cubans in Mexico reveal extreme vulnerability in cities like Cancún, where specialized shelters are inadequate.
Yadi recorded the video to shed light on the harsh realities of such separations and to raise awareness for the many families facing similar circumstances.
"I believe children should be with their parents," she concludes in the video, addressing her followers on the platform.
Understanding Family Separation Due to Deportation
What challenges do deported parents face in reuniting with their children?
Deported parents often struggle with legal barriers, lack of documentation, and financial constraints, making it difficult to reunite with their children who remain in the U.S.
Why is Cancún a common meeting place for families separated by deportation?
Cancún serves as a convenient location for family reunions because children with U.S. documents can travel there as tourists, while their deported parents remain unable to re-enter the United States.
What are the broader implications of family separations due to deportation?
Family separations due to deportation can lead to emotional distress, financial burdens, and long-term psychological effects on both parents and children.