A Cuban who attended his immigration appointment on December 4 at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Miramar, Florida, described a tense atmosphere, with new requirements and procedures that have surprised many migrants amid the under the administration of Donald Trump.
In a video posted on TikTok, the user @rafaleeoficial reported that, although his process "went well," he noticed significant changes since his last visit. He explained that there were two lines operating: one for those who received appointments through the machine and another for those with in-person appointments. The latter had to wait an additional half hour to sign documents before leaving.
According to his testimony, the interviews in the office were much more thorough. “They asked a ton of questions to everyone,” he said, adding that the officials had detailed information about each person: tax returns, addresses, phone numbers, and even cut-off dates.
He mentioned that a migrant who did not have an assigned hearing received one right there. He also commented on having seen several pregnant women in the waiting room.
One of the aspects that caught the young man's attention was a change that, according to him, could affect thousands of Cuban families. He recounted that an official explained to them that if a family entered together at the border, even if only one member has an appointment, now the entire family unit must attend.
He cited the case of a gentleman whose situation was altered at the moment: although he was the only one with an appointment, the authorities added his wife, a resident of Tampa, requiring both to appear together. A lawyer present confirmed this information to the waiting migrants.
The testimony appears in an increasingly rigid immigration context. In recent months, the Trump administration has ordered to review thousands of permanent residency grants already issued, has temporarily suspended citizenship and asylum applications for Cubans, and has increased restrictive criteria for approving permits and applications.
At the same time, ICE has intensified its supervision of individuals with documents such as the I-220A, and the number of Cubans detained after attending routine appointments at immigration offices has increased.
Even so, the young Cuban tried to convey a sense of calm. He assured that most of the people he saw enter were able to leave without issues and that, at least in his case, the process concluded without incidents. "God bless America, may everything continue to go well," he said before ending his recording.
For many Cuban migrants in Florida, the experience in Miramar is no longer just a procedure, but rather another test within an uncertain immigration landscape, marked by constant changes, deeper interrogations, and a lingering fear of decisions that could determine the future of their families.
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