Cristian Michel García Gil, a 24-year-old Cuban holding the I-220A form, was released after five months in custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a report by journalist Javier Díaz on Facebook.
A judge approved a habeas corpus in his favor, allowing him to await the final outcome of his political asylum process in freedom.
Díaz described the case as "a new opportunity" for the young man, who arrived in the United States in previous years and, at the time of his release, did not have a definite immigration status in the country.
"For now, they don't have anything certain in the country, but at least they are free, which shows that not everyone is deported from the country," noted the journalist.
The I-220A is an ICE Supervision Order that allows migrants to remain on conditional release while their case is processed, but it does not grant legal status or access to the Cuban Adjustment Act, the legislation that has historically allowed Cubans to obtain permanent residency after one year and one day in U.S. territory.
The case of Cristian Michel is part of a wave of detentions of Cubans with this document that began in 2025 under the Trump administration.
At least 18 Cubans with an I-220A were arrested in South Florida during routine supervision appointments in March 2025.
The federal habeas corpus has become the primary legal tool to challenge ICE detentions, with mixed results for the Cuban community.
Among the favorable outcomes is the case of Daniel Alejandro Escobar Rodríguez, 25 years old, who was released in February after being detained for almost three months by ICE thanks to a federal habeas corpus.
Also, Iván García Pérez, arrested in November 2025 in Miramar, Florida, achieved his release in January 2026 through the same legal means, with a bail of 1,500 dollars.
One of the longest cases was that of the opposition activist Elionay González Crespo, a member of the Cuban Anticommunist Movement in exile, who was released in April after ten months in detention without ICE proceeding with his deportation.
However, not all cases conclude in the same manner. A Cuban with an I-220A detained in San Francisco in November 2025 filed for habeas corpus but was deported in February 2026 on the first repatriation flight of the year.
The release of Cristian Michel García Gil does not resolve his final immigration status: his political asylum process remains open, and the young man will have to await the final ruling without the certainty of permanent residency in the United States.
"Best of luck to all the Cubans with I-220A who are still trying to legalize their status in the United States," concluded Javier Díaz in his post.
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