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The announcement this Friday regarding the elimination of the Family Reunification Program (FRP) sparked a wave of reactions among Cubans both inside and outside the island, with messages characterized by frustration, a sense of injustice, and the fear of not being able to reunite with children and other relatives.
After the decision of the administration of President Donald Trump was announced, hundreds of readers reacted on the social media of CiberCuba to express the personal impact of a measure that, they assert, leaves them with no real options to reunite with their loved ones.
Several comments agreed that the decision penalizes those who have followed legal channels for years.
A reader stated that it is unfair for people who "did everything legally" to now face the consequences of abuses committed by others, while another person requested that certain immigration categories be excluded because the pain of not being able to bring their children is, she said, "too great."
Other users interpreted the program's elimination as part of a broader strategy to increase deportations.
In that regard, a commentator stated that this is "just another move" within an increasingly restrictive immigration policy, while several recalled that many Cubans previously supported the current president in the elections and are now seeing their expectations dashed.
Some messages mixed lament with self-criticism. One reader pointed out that Cubans enjoyed migratory privileges for years, which were used as a political tool, and that scenario no longer exists, while another spoke of an "ungrateful" people who ended up paying the price for misguided political alliances.
There were also voices that shifted the responsibility to the countries of origin. One user argued that no country is obligated to ensure reunification in the United States and that the real issue is the inability to improve living conditions in Cuba, which forces people to emigrate.
Amid the confusion, several readers requested a distinction between the elimination of parole and the continuation of traditional family petitions, a clarification that, they noted, is not always communicated with sufficient precision.
Even so, the prevailing tone was one of anguish and exhaustion, with messages describing years of waiting abruptly cut short and families feeling, once again, that their reunion is slipping further away.
The Trump administration dealt a new blow to Cuban immigration today by entirely eliminating the FRP for beneficiaries from the island.
The measure, announced by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (USCIS), also cancels FRP benefits for nationals of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras.
The government justifies the decision by stating that it aims to put an end to the “abuse of humanitarian parole,” while also arguing that this mechanism allowed the entry of foreigners with inadequately verified backgrounds, bypassing the traditional process.
According to the official statement, parole was never intended to be used extensively and without control, which is why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reverting to a case-by-case evaluation system.
The Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program was established in 2007 under the administration of George W. Bush (2001-2009) and allowed U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to apply for a temporary stay permit (parole) to bring their relatives from Cuba in a expedited manner.
The program was halted from 2016 until the administration of Joe Biden (2021-2025) gradually reactivated it in mid-2022, but with Trump's return, appointments and approvals stalled until their definitive cancellation.
The termination of the program has immediate consequences for those who are already in the United States under this mechanism.
If a beneficiary has obtained parole and it has not yet expired, their legal status will end on January 14, 2026, unless they have a pending Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status).
To be considered valid, this application must have been submitted on or before December 15, 2025, and still be pending by the January deadline.
Along with the cancellation of immigration status, the work authorization of those affected will also be revoked. Each individual will be notified individually about the conclusion of their probation period and the revocation of their work permit.
Those who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States after this date must leave the country immediately.
The DHS recommends that individuals who are not eligible to remain use the CBP One application to report their intention to leave the country.
The authorities are offering incentives for voluntary departure, including a financial bonus, financial assistance for obtaining travel documents, and the cancellation of civil fines.
The government emphasizes that "the desire to reunite families does not take precedence over the responsibility to prevent fraud and safeguard national security."
Nevertheless, the community of Cubans with the I-220A immigration document received a signal of hope this Friday, following the oral arguments hearing held in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, a crucial step in a legal battle that could impact the immigration future of thousands of people in the United States.
According to journalist Javier Díaz from Univisión, during the hearing, immigration attorney Mark Prada filed an appeal arguing that many Cubans were improperly processed and that the government should have granted them parole instead of documenting them with an I-220A, a situation that keeps them in a “migratory limbo.”
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