Released on Bond: Cuban Couple Detained by ICE Fights Deportation to Ecuador

After spending five months in a detention facility, the Cuban couple Alcibiades "Alex" Lázaro Ramírez González and Yannier Vázquez Hidalgo were reunited with their families in New York last week, shedding tears of relief. The couple was detained on the same day they attended a hearing to regularize their immigration status.

According to Local Syracuse (WSYR-TV), the couple, employees at Upstate Medical University Hospital in Syracuse, was released after paying thousands in bail. They had been in ICE custody since October.

Vázquez was released on February 17 after posting a $5,000 bail, while González was freed the following day after paying $15,000. González also had to wear an electronic ankle monitor.

The couple was initially arrested during a scheduled immigration appointment to progress their documentation. They were first taken to a local ICE office and then moved to the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility, known as "Batavia," the largest immigrant detention center in the state. They spent 11 days in the same cell before being separated and relocated to different parts of the building without explanation.

Upon their release, they shared with local media that they were shackled like criminals, and while the facility's physical conditions were not unhygienic, the experience left them feeling isolated from the world. They had limited interactions, seeing each other only briefly in the hallways.

The release followed orders from two immigration judges to deport the couple to Ecuador, despite their Cuban nationality and lack of ties to that country. One judge ruled they did not qualify for the Cuban Adjustment Act, citing recent agreements between Washington and Quito.

The decision sparked outrage in Syracuse, where Alex and Yan, married in 2024, own a home in North Syracuse and work at the university hospital as an environmental services supervisor and a janitor, respectively. Their unions, United University Professionals (UUP) and the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), publicly supported their case, organized protests, and raised funds for their bail.

Fred Kowal, UUP President, applauded González's release and advocated for their right to stay in the U.S. "The entire UUP community is thrilled that Alex is free again," he said to local media.

Kowal described González as a hardworking, good man and neighbor who was on the path to citizenship when detained. He emphasized that while the release is positive, it does not shield them from deportation. "At least Alex and Yan can now fight their order from home rather than from a detention center, a place they had no reason to be," he stated.

The union leader harshly criticized ICE's actions, labeling them reckless and violent, and vowed continued support for the couple. UUP, the largest higher education union in the country with over 42,000 members, was instrumental in raising funds for their bail and legal expenses.

Their legal battle is far from over. They have appealed the deportation orders and are seeking asylum based on fears of persecution in both Cuba and Ecuador due to their sexual orientation. As reported by local media, both entered the U.S. in 2021, surrendered to authorities, and began their immigration process with no criminal record.

“Now the real fight begins,” González said after his release, expressing gratitude for the city's and union leaders' support. For them, the "American dream" is not over but remains uncertain.