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A Cuban with legal residency in the United States described to Univisión journalist Javier Díaz the intense interrogation he faced upon returning from a trip to Costa Rica, amid the new policy from the Donald Trump administration that mandates a thorough review of all Green Cards granted to citizens from 19 countries, including Cuba.
The migrant, whom the journalist knows personally and who has no reason to distort his testimony, mentioned that his arrival at the U.S. airport was very different from the usual experience.
"Upon entering, they took me to a small room with two officers," he recounted. "They started asking me questions and told me it was because they need to verify each of the Cuban residents who enter from now on."
According to what he explained, the agents checked his passport for recent entries to Cuba, a point that is being evaluated with particular attention as part of the new presidential order.
“They checked my passport to see if I had entered Cuba recently,” he stated. “They asked for my entry documents, and since I didn’t have them, they made me explain exactly how the whole process went when I was detained crossing the river.”
The Cuban asserts that the interrogation was long and filled with distrust.
"They asked me all kinds of questions... The treatment was really bad," she lamented.
At the end of the interview, the message from the officials was clear:
"They told me that they advised me not to leave the country anymore because they are going to review all the residencies and will suspend many, at the discretion of each officer," he assured.
The Cuban insisted that he shares his experience only to alert other migrants: “I’m telling you just so you know and can keep others informed.”
However, it is important to clarify something fundamental to avoid unnecessary confusion or alarm: an immigration officer at an airport cannot cancel or revoke a Green Card on their own. Instead, what they can do is:
- Traveler information registration
- Ask verification questions
- Refer a case for deeper review
- In extreme cases, issue a citation for the resident to appear before an immigration judge
The cancellation of a residency can only occur through a formal legal process, conducted by USCIS or an immigration judge, and never arbitrarily or immediately at an airport.
A testimony that aligns with the new immigration policy
The story takes place a few days after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that, by order of Trump, the United States will review all green cards issued to citizens of 19 nations classified as "countries of concern." The list includes Cuba, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and other countries under strict national security scrutiny.
The directive implies that thousands of Cubans with Green Cards, including beneficiaries of family reunification, asylum, political refuge, or humanitarian parole, could face delays, additional requirements, or even the revocation of their status if authorities find that there are irregularities.
The DHS also confirmed that the review includes cases approved during Joe Biden's administration, as part of a broader internal verification process.
The order is part of a more aggressive shift in Trump's immigration policy, who has promised to eliminate benefits for migrants, permanently suspend migration from “Third World” countries and implement what he himself calls a policy of “reverse migration.”
In parallel, the White House has frozen all asylum decisions following the recent attack in Washington D.C., leaving thousands of applicants, including Cubans, in a legal limbo.
Once again, the testimony of the interrogated Cuban is not intended to instill fear, but rather to warn other residents who travel frequently and may face similar checks while this review remains in effect.
"Just be careful about where you travel and why you leave the country," concluded Javier Díaz in his report, aware that his source's experience could become the new normal for thousands of Cubans under these measures.
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