In a heartfelt appeal on his weekly show with Tania Costa on CiberCuba, immigration attorney Willy Allen drew parallels between the longstanding family separations enforced by the Cuban regime and the current deportation practices by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This comparison arose in the context of a case involving a Cuban mother with an I-220A form who was detained by ICE, leaving her three-year-old U.S. citizen son in the care of his father.
The incident at the center of Allen's argument was the detention of Tania Romero Naranjo, a 24-year-old Cuban with an I-220A form, who was arrested on June 26 in Portland, Texas, during a routine ICE check-in.
Allen highlighted a stark contradiction in this scenario, noting that while some judges have granted residency to Cubans with I-220A, ICE continues to make arrests. "To me, it's unforgivable and unforgettable that the Cuban government has been tearing families apart for decades," he remarked.
Building on this premise, Allen critiqued U.S. immigration policy. "The Cuban government is cruel and inhumane in separating families. It pains me deeply that we, as an empire much better than the Cuban government, are also separating families," he stated. Costa responded, "You can't say it any louder or clearer."
Other participants echoed these sentiments, arguing against the notion of sending the child, a U.S. citizen, back to Cuba with his mother.
"Sending a child to Cuba is even more inhumane," one viewer commented. Costa added, "I know separating him from his mother is harsh, but sending that child there, to face hunger, blackouts, mosquitoes, and sleepless nights, is inhumane."
Viewer Roinel Velázquez joined the discussion, pleading for compassion. "Please, think of that child who needs his mother," he urged.
Allen also shared a personal example from the program to underscore the emotional toll of such separations, recalling how Tania Costa reunited with her mother after more than a decade apart.
The I-220A Form and Legal Challenges
The case of Tania Romero Naranjo is part of a broader legal crisis affecting between 400,000 and 500,000 Cubans in the U.S. with I-220A forms. This Order of Release on Recognizance issued by ICE does not provide a definitive immigration status or equate to parole, preventing automatic eligibility for adjustment under the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966.
While some judges have interpreted I-220A as valid parole, granting residency, the Department of Homeland Security has challenged these rulings. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta held a hearing in December 2025, yet a final decision remains pending.
For over six decades, the Cuban regime has been separating families. Since 1959, it imposed travel restrictions, and during Operation Peter Pan from 1961 to 1962, it sent over 14,000 Cuban children unaccompanied to the United States.
Despite the uncertain landscape, Allen expressed optimism about the I-220A cases: "I truly have hope."
The I-220A Dilemma and Immigration Policy
What is the I-220A form?
The I-220A is an Order of Release on Recognizance issued by ICE, which does not grant a permanent immigration status or constitute a parole, thus not automatically qualifying holders under the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966.
How has the U.S. legal system responded to I-220A holders?
Some judges have granted residency to Cubans with I-220A by interpreting it as valid parole, but the Department of Homeland Security has contested these decisions. The matter is currently pending a final decision from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Why is family separation in the context of immigration a critical issue?
Family separation is a significant concern because it disrupts the emotional and social bonds that are vital for family unity and child development. The practice is particularly poignant for those who have already endured separation under oppressive regimes like Cuba's.