Cuban Man Denied by Both Cuba and Panama Returns to U.S. with Monitoring Device

A U.S. immigration system escape attempt by the son of a viewer named Nancy has ended in an unusual twist. After being rebuffed by both Cuba and Panama, he found himself back in the United States, now wearing an electronic monitoring device instead of being incarcerated.

This incident came to light during a live broadcast featuring immigration attorney Willy Allen and CiberCuba journalist Tania Costa. Nancy shared her son's predicament in the chat, prompting Allen to remark, "Cuba didn't accept him, Panama didn't accept him, and he's here again, but at least with a bracelet, it's better than prison."

The Broader Context of Immigration Denials

Allen emphasized that her son's situation isn't unique. He requested further details from Nancy, particularly whether her son has a deportation order or if his case remains unresolved. Nancy explained that her son arrived in the U.S. in 2001 and has a record of illegal departure in 2013. He faced deportation due to a human trafficking conviction. Since then, he has been required to report annually to ICE in Orlando. This year, he was fitted with a monitoring device and given the choice of flying to Cuba via a third country, namely Panama. However, upon reaching Panama, Cuba refused him entry, leading Panamanian immigration to send him back to Orlando. As of Monday, July 13, around 11:00 AM Miami time, he was on a flight back to the U.S. His family is eager to know his options going forward.

A Double Rejection: Cuba and Panama

The case is particularly striking due to the dual rejection: initially by Cuba and subsequently by Panama, leaving him with no choice but to return to the U.S. Allen acknowledged that the situation is "a bit strange" and needs more information to comprehend the rationale behind both countries' refusals.

The electronic monitoring device—a bracelet used by ICE as an alternative to physical detention—offers a relative improvement over imprisonment, allowing the young man more freedom of movement while his case remains unresolved.

Cuban Migrants in Legal Limbo

This case is part of a larger trend involving Cubans with I-220A forms trapped in immigration limbo, a scenario that has become more common following the surge of Cuban migrants crossing the southern border since 2022. The I-220A form is a release order under supervision that neither guarantees permanent legal status nor protection from deportation.

The core issue arises when a migrant opts for voluntary departure—a procedure that allows self-departure to avoid the 10-year penalty of formal deportation—and the destination country denies entry. This leaves them in a deadlock: unable to legally stay in the U.S. under the agreed terms, yet also barred from entering any other country.

Cuba has repeatedly failed to uphold the migration agreement signed in January 2017 with the Obama administration, which obligated it to accept all Cuban nationals entering the U.S. after March of that year. According to records, over 42,000 Cubans with final deportation orders have been turned away by Havana. In May 2026, the regime further strengthened its new Migration Law, allowing it to deny entry even to Cuban citizens for political or criminal reasons.

Nancy’s son's case is not isolated. Allen and Costa's program also discussed Dairon Fuentes, another Cuban with an I-220A who was denied by Cuba after requesting voluntary departure, and who has been detained in Texas for seven months while his wife, 36 weeks pregnant, already holds residency.