What was supposed to be the beginning of a new life ended with handcuffs on and a cell in Buffalo, New York, for the Cuban ex-judge Yosniel Alginis Villalón López, 34 years old.
Villalón was arrested by U.S. immigration authorities while attempting to reunite with his Canadian wife at the land border between Canada and the United States. The couple, believing they met the necessary immigration requirements, was separated within minutes. He was handed over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a report from the Canadian media The Gazette.
Villalón was a judge of the Provincial People's Court of Havana and had been solemnly invested in the Hall of Mirrors of the Museum of the Revolution in June 2021. During that event, he swore allegiance to the socialist Constitution and received the robe as a symbol of commitment to justice, reported the state media Tribuna de La Habana.
But weeks later, on July 11, Cuba experienced the largest protests against the regime in decades. Thousands of citizens, fed up with hunger, repression, and neglect, took to the streets. It was then that Villalón decided to do what he believed was right: he refused to condemn the protesters who came to his court. “The charges did not reflect actual crimes,” he said. His decision led to a charge of treason from the regime.
The pressure increased. He was intimidated, watched, and finally had to flee. In 2022, he embarked on a long and risky journey through South America to reach the United States, where he requested asylum and started anew in Miami. During the day, he worked cleaning courthouses. At night, he stored beer. This was how his life went until love knocked on his door via Instagram.
Stéphanie Penta, a Canadian massage therapist and mother of two girls, and Yosniel started talking, met in person, and after several trips decided to get married in May 2025. The relationship blossomed. She took her daughters to meet him. They wanted to build a family.
After consulting with a lawyer in Montreal, they believed they qualified for the family exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the U.S., which prohibits asylum seekers from entering Canada if they have already passed through a "safe country" like the U.S. However, when they arrived at the Lacolle border on July 2, everything went wrong.
In minutes, Yosniel was detained, cut off from communication, and returned to U.S. territory. Since then, he has been held at the ICE detention center in Batavia, New York, alongside more than 100 people in a common dormitory. There, he sleeps, eats three times a day, and listens to the sobs of those who, like him, saw their attempts to start a new life thwarted.
The Canadian government expressed doubts regarding the authenticity of the marriage. According to testimonies from both, the agents did not review the documents, did not accept corrections of dates or family photographs. “They were just looking for a way to justify what they already thought of me,” said the former judge to The Gazette.
A deportation hearing in the U.S. is scheduled for the end of August. If he is sent back to Cuba, Villalón fears he will be imprisoned for treason. His attorney in Canada is trying to negotiate a way for him to re-enter legally and present his case. But even if Canada agrees, ICE must first release him and allow him to post bail, something that is becoming increasingly difficult under immigration restrictions.
Meanwhile, Stéphanie works, takes care of her daughters, pays lawyers, and answers difficult questions at home. “My youngest daughter keeps asking: ‘When is she coming?’,” she shares. But she has no answer.
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