A Cuban father with an I-220A form was detained by ICE in Texas and is now being pressured by immigration authorities to sign a document that would authorize the detention of his eight-year-old daughter.
According to a report by the Univisión journalist, Javier Díaz, both the man and the minor have valid I-220A documents.
For that reason, ICE would be urging the father to sign a letter that would allow for the location and detention of the girl, in order to deport her alongside him.
The minor lives with her mother, a Cuban citizen with permanent residency in the United States, who is desperate.
She fears that ICE will come to her home to take the girl away.
As a drastic measure, the mother is considering leaving the country with her daughter to protect her from a potential detention.
The family, for security reasons, has chosen to keep their identity anonymous.
Javier Díaz urged the Cuban migrant community, particularly those who are detained and are I-220A, to be very clear about which documents they are signing.
What is Form I-220A?
The I-220A document is a order of supervised release issued by ICE.
It is granted to certain migrants while their legal situation is being resolved, allowing them to temporarily reside in the United States without being formally legalized.
It does not imply authorization to work or a regular immigration status, but it also does not constitute a direct deportation order.
This mechanism has commonly been applied to Cuban migrants, including minors, and has been considered a less punitive alternative to detention. However, the case of this family raises concerns about a potential change in the application of this measure, which could now be extending to children.
The pressure on this family has raised alarm, as the possibility of ICE detaining a minor covered by I-220A could set a dangerous precedent and pave the way for more aggressive policies.
Filed under:
