Cuban Ailén Góngora has sparked a wave of reactions on social media with a video in which she highlights the lack of support that, according to her, many newcomers to the United States encounter when staying with family or friends. In her video, which has already garnered hundreds of reactions, Góngora expresses her "outrage" and delivers a stern critique of Cubans who offer their home but then turn their backs on those seeking a new beginning in the country.
"If you offered your home to a friend, family member, or someone coming to the United States, instead of criticizing them so much, you should help them," stated @ailen_gongora. She pointed out that many criticize newcomers for "not wanting to work" or "doing nothing," but no one acknowledges the challenges they face along the way. Ailén insists that these newcomers sometimes need assistance with their paperwork, transportation to get around, or even guidance, yet they often receive mistreatment or indifference from those who initially offered support.
"What angers me is that Cubans spend their lives criticizing other Cubans... no one talks about the other reality," Ailén added, explaining that although her family has supported her, she knows stories of people who "have been exploited, destroyed, and then thrown out of their homes," despite having been promised help initially.
Ailén's post resonated with TikTok users, who eagerly shared their own experiences or expressed support for her message. "They forget that they were newcomers too; there’s no humility, sensitivity, and certainly no solidarity," commented one user. "For a roof over your head and a plate of food, they treat you like a slave, and if you rebel, they throw you out onto the street," wrote another. Many Cubans agree that they have faced this situation, dealing with challenges without the promised support, and some even reported receiving more help from strangers than from their own families. "Not even my family welcomed me; it was a stranger who reached out a hand," one comment reads.
Others, on the other hand, offered a different perspective, reminding us that there are people who refuse help or are ungrateful. “There are those you open your home to and extend a helping hand, and then behind your back they do ugly things,” one user pointed out, while another added, “There’s a bit of everything here—ungrateful people and opportunists; it all depends on the individuals.”
This video by Ailén Góngora continues to spark debate and shed light on a reality that few discuss openly: the internal struggles that many migrants face upon arriving in the United States, not only due to the challenges of the country itself but also because of the lack of support among fellow Cubans.
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