Cuban parents have had their residency permits in the United States denied for entering the country through the Mexico border with their minor child. As the communicator Daniel Benítez explains, this case is not an exception; he has confirmed with immigration expert lawyer Willy Allen that families have been accused of human trafficking for entering through the border with their children on more than one occasion.
In this case, it involves a Cuban couple residing in Dallas, Texas, with a minor child, who entered through the border in October 2022. At that time, U.S. immigration authorities granted them a 60-day parole.
A year later, in November 2023, they sought to take advantage of the Cuban Adjustment Act, and in November 2024, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) notified them of the approval of the child's residency. However, it also denied residency permits for both parents, arguing that they entered with a minor.
The journalist claims to have confirmed that this would be the fourth case of denial of residency for entering with a minor at the border and emphasizes that these decisions come from the Biden Administration. "This is not Trump. Trump has not yet entered," says Daniel Benítez.
Citing lawyer Willy Allen, the communicator believes that actions like this send the message that U.S. immigration authorities are being strict, even though such an argument may not hold up in court and parents may ultimately receive their residency. However, until they achieve this, they will have to face a cumbersome process.
"Lawyers believe that this argument will not hold up in court, but it makes life more difficult for these families," said Benítez. The couple, whose residency has just been denied by USCIS, has 30 days to begin the appeals process.
The latest data from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicates that in the first month of fiscal year 2025 (October), there were 8,261 Cubans who entered the United States illegally amidst a backdrop of migratory uncertainties and changes in immigration policies.
We are seeing a decrease in the number of Cuban entries through the border compared to the beginning of the last two fiscal years. In October 2023, there were 29,882 entries, while in October 2024, the number dropped to 18,064. This means that in the first month of this fiscal year, fewer than half the number of Cubans arrived compared to 12 months ago.
The following chart shows the annual balance of Cuban arrivals in the United States through the Mexico border over the past three fiscal years. In 2024, a total of 150,995 immigrants from the Island arrived in the U.S. The previous year saw a slight decrease, ending with 142,352 arrivals, while in 2022, the number reached 220,908, the highest figure.
Filed under: