A group of Cubans with I-220A immigration status opened a jewelry store in Miami, naming it after that same status, turning the document that keeps them in legal limbo into a trademark and a symbol of collective identity.
The business was officially presented on Instagram last March, through the account @i220a_joyeria, with an emotional video that carries the motto "Dreams have no borders".
The introductory video features a young immigrant who arrives with uncertainty and finds her way through entrepreneurship, conveying the message that "even from the most challenging stories, the greatest dreams can emerge."
The connection is immediate: thousands of Cubans can quickly relate to what it means to be I220A, and that feeling is also a hook.
As a marketing strategy, the jewelry store offers a 10% discount to those who also have I-220A status, reinforcing the sense of community among the holders of the document.
The journalist Javier Díaz shared the business on Facebook with a video in which he praised the initiative: "These Cubans are truly exceptional. These individuals deserve to be given permanent residency, American citizenship... a status in the United States because they are really exceptional."
Díaz also emphasized that this is not an informal project: "This is not a fabrication; it is an official business."
The journalist from Univisión went further and connected entrepreneurship with the future of Cuba: "I never tire of saying that Cubans have an incredible intellect and creativity for business. That’s why I have no doubt that when the country is free, we will lift that island, folks, as soon as possible."
The I-220A is a Order of Supervised Release issued by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows migrants to be released from detention while their case is pending in immigration court.
This document does not grant legal immigration status, automatic work permission, or permanent residence, and its holders cannot directly apply for residency through the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966.
Despite these restrictions, since 2024 there have been numerous stories on social media of Cubans with I-220A starting businesses in Miami and other cities in Florida: beauty salons, barbershops, bakeries, cleaning services, and now a jewelry store.
The jewelry I-220A joins a trend that has become a symbol of resilience in the Cuban exile community, amid increasing migration pressure under the Trump administration, which has intensified deportations and uncertainty for this population.
Díaz concluded his video with a wish for all Cubans in similar situations: "I wish all Cubans who still do not have a status in the country, especially those with I220A, the ability to legalize themselves, because this is an example of what you are capable of doing."
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