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Lauren, a 15-year-old teenager, is the only member of her family that remains in Cuba after being denied a family visa at the United States Embassy in Havana.
According to Telemundo 51 in a report, despite the family having waited for years for the reunion in Miami, Lauren's departure did not take place.
The denial occurred in August, after the family had prepared for what they expected would be a straightforward process; upon leaving the interview, they felt that “all their dreams had vanished,” they reported to Telemundo.
According to the report, the rejection is based on a message from June 4 that announced a travel ban for citizens from 12 countries, including Cuba, with the argument of protecting the U.S. from terrorists.
“The travel ban is for criminals and terrorists, but children are neither,” the family expressed, noting that they have not received a specific explanation as to why the minor was included in the restrictions.
At Grandma Eva's house in Miami, Lauren's room remains ready: stuffed animals, photos, and a miniature Statue of Liberty await the day of the reunion.
The mother, Leymi Reyes Figueredo lives between Cuba and Miami: she travels to the island to take care of her daughter and returns to the United States to maintain her residency.
“It was the illusion of a life shattered in a single day”, said the family about the consular interview. Lauren —“still a child,” they emphasize— expresses sadness for not being able to be with her loved ones: “I always love everyone, my family, and I can't have that.”
The situation worsened when, during the process, both of Lauren's grandparents were diagnosed with cancer almost simultaneously.
"Between her surgery and mine, there was a month of difference," they recount, while the family admits to feeling devastated between Havana and Miami, without answers as to why the teenager was prevented from traveling. "We no longer know what we are going to do," they acknowledge.
The grandmother assures Telemundo that she has done everything possible to welcome her granddaughter —“it ties my throat up, big, big”—, but the ban keeps Lauren alone in Cuba, waiting for a solution that will allow the family to reunite.
Years apart
In 2022, Leymi Reyes Figueredo and her husband embarked on the journey to the United States after being petitioned by a son of the man, a U.S. citizen.
As part of the migration process, they temporarily left Lauren in Cuba in the care of her maternal grandparents, with the plan that she could reunite with them later through an F2A visa.
This category is designed for unmarried children under the age of 21 of legal permanent residents.
However, everything changed abruptly in June 2025, when a presidential proclamation initiated by President Donald Trump went into effect.
This measure, known as the "travel ban," restricts entry into the United States for citizens from various countries, including Cuba, citing reasons of "national security."
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