This past Friday, Dairon Fuentes, a young Cuban with an I-220A status, finally arrived in Havana. He had been detained in Texas despite requesting voluntary departure because Cuban authorities initially refused his entry to the island. He was part of a flight carrying 127 deported Cubans from the United States, and this time, he was allowed back into his homeland, as confirmed by his wife to CiberCuba.
Ailyn Hernández, his wife, remains in the United States, caring for their newborn baby, just 24 days old, and their 11-year-old son. Hernández, who is a resident, is hopeful that by next year, the I-130 petition she filed for her husband over two years ago will be approved.
Hernández persevered through the final weeks of her pregnancy alone, as Fuentes was detained on December 4, 2025, during a routine appointment with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Texas. After spending seven months in detention, he requested voluntary departure to avoid a deportation record, which would allow him to reunite with his family in the future. Unfortunately, despite having no criminal record, Cuban immigration officials refused his entry, sending him back to detention in Texas.
Fuentes met his newborn son through a family friend's visit to the detention center, after Hernández was hospitalized with postpartum complications.
In an ironic twist, Fuentes arrived in the United States before Hernández. She followed with their eldest son, receiving parole at the border, which enabled them to apply for adjustment under the Cuban Adjustment Act. Fuentes, however, received an I-220A and was detained during the routine ICE appointment last Christmas.
Despite the painful family separation, Hernández finds solace in the fact that her husband’s voluntary departure was respected, unlike others who were deported. She feared that complications might lead to him being sent to Africa.
This Friday, Hernández contacted USCIS regarding her husband's I-130 and was informed that if there is no response by this time in 2027, she can file a claim.
"The officer who handed my husband his documents mentioned he could return with a visa anytime," Hernández told CiberCuba. "Today, my husband arrived in Havana. It's tough, but at least he maintained his voluntary departure, and now we await the I-130 approval with hope. At least he wasn't sent to Africa, as I've heard others have been. He was with a young man who arrived in 2023 with a two-year parole but never received bail and chose to sign his deportation," she added.
On Thursday, the first deportation flight under a U.S.-Liberia agreement landed at Roberts International Airport, outside Monrovia. This deal allows Liberia to accept up to 1,200 third-country migrants over the next 12 months. Fuentes was fortunate not to be on that flight, which reportedly included Cubans.
Key Questions About Cuban Deportations and U.S. Immigration Policies
What is an I-220A status?
An I-220A is a form of immigration status often given to individuals who are under supervision while their immigration proceedings are pending.
Why did Cuban authorities refuse Dairon Fuentes' entry?
Cuban authorities initially refused Dairon Fuentes' entry into the country despite his voluntary departure from the U.S., a decision that remains unexplained formally but highlights potential diplomatic or procedural issues between the two countries.
How does the U.S.-Liberia deportation agreement affect Cuban migrants?
The U.S.-Liberia deportation agreement could impact Cuban migrants by including them in deportation flights, as seen with the recent arrival of a flight carrying deportees to Liberia, reportedly including Cubans.