After more than a month apart due to a forced self-deportation, Yisel Miguel Sarduy was able to reunite with her husband Deivy Alemán Oropesa in Cuba.
She did it alongside their youngest daughter, a girl of just two years old, who is a U.S. citizen and has a delicate heart condition that requires a third open-heart surgery.
The meeting -emotional and painful- reflected not only the emotional devastation of a family torn apart by immigration policy but also the uncertainty that surrounds them.
"They were unique moments. Also very concerning."
In statements made to journalist Javier Díaz from Univisión, Yisel recounted the complexity of the journey, the emotion of the reunion, and the harsh reality of seeing her husband again in a country she did not want to return to.
"They were unique moments. Also very concerning due to the situation the country is experiencing. We took great care of the little girl; I brought all the necessary things for her protection," Yisel explained.
The images shared by her on social media displayed intimate scenes of the family gathered for a few days on the island, including tender moments between father and daughter, everyday gestures that had been denied to them for weeks.
"It has been a very tough process for him. Beyond words."
Although they tried to make the most of every minute, the meeting was overshadowed by pain. Deivy's return to Cuba, after seven years living in the United States, was sudden and forced. In September, the Cuban decided to "self-deport" after receiving an ultimatum from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): either he accepted detention pending forced deportation, or he would leave the country voluntarily before the 14th of that month.
“It’s really tough, it was really tough to see how he is. It has been a very hard process for him. Words fail us. We are truly at a loss for words, only praying for a miracle that will help him return to this country so we can care for our daughter, which is the most important thing to us,” declared Yisel, visibly affected.
The stability of the girl -both emotional and medical- is the central concern of the family.
"The stability and health of her is what matters most. In that upcoming surgery, which is expected to be next year, he should be here with us supporting her and being with her as he has during the other surgeries," added the young mother.
“These are very difficult times because the girl needs her dad.”
Deivy's daughter has undergone surgery twice for a congenital heart condition and still requires a third surgical intervention.
While Yisel takes sole responsibility for the medical and emotional care of the little one, Deivy—who worked as an Uber driver in the United States and had no criminal record—confronts precariousness and hopelessness in Cuba.
"These are very difficult times because the little girl needs her dad.", Yisel confessed.
Separation, beyond the emotional pain, involves a rupture in the very fabric of the home. Deivy was also the family's economic support, and his absence has left a difficult void to fill.
The only light on the journey was this brief reunion, made possible by a ticket donation from a travel agency.
"Thank God everything went well. We are back, without any problems. I want to thank all the people who continue to support us, who remain concerned, who pay attention to every post I make. Thank you very much, truly, on behalf of my husband and myself," she said gratefully.
A migration process that ignores humanitarian factors
The case of Deivy Alemán has generated a wave of outrage on social media.
The family provided medical reports, letters from cardiologists, and has an approved I-130 petition— a document certifying the family relationship with a U.S. citizen— but immigration authorities did not consider any of these factors sufficient to halt the deportation.
The lawyer Rosaly Chaviano, who is following the case, explained that Deivy was under immigration supervision (form I-220B) and that, under current policies, humanitarian factors are hardly being taken into account.
The only alternative offered to him was to leave voluntarily or face indefinite detention at an ICE facility. The decision to leave voluntarily was painful, but considered.
"I believe the best option is to volunteer. What worries me the most is leaving the girl and the family here. She is awaiting surgery, and that hurts me the most," he confessed through tears before leaving.
A request still unanswered
Although the family reunification request is in progress, it has not yet been approved. In the meantime, the family remains separated.
Friends and loved ones have launched a campaign on Change.org to seek clemency and visibility for the case, but time is running out. The girl's situation requires intervention in the coming months, and the emotional and physical support from her father is vital for her well-being.
"My hope is that when I'm in Cuba, I will receive the petition that my wife submitted and that I will be allowed to return soon," Deivy said before boarding the flight that took him away from the United States with a broken heart.
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