A Cuban identified on TikTok as YUSNAIKO (@cbpyusna) posted the video that captures the moment she receives her residency in the United States, and the reaction she conveys speaks volumes without the need for words.
His wife waits for him at home with the letter as he walks through the door while "Un Tin" by Payaso x Ley plays, and seeing the envelope, his smile says it all. Pure happiness!
The clip, recorded inside an apartment, amassed over 76,900 views, 5,621 likes, and 516 comments in just a few days, becoming a symbol of hope for thousands of Cubans who are still waiting for their own approval.
The comments on the video clearly reflect the emotional weight that this type of news carries for the diaspora. "Every time I see something like this, I feel happiness as if it were my own, blessings," wrote one user. "Congratulations, I hope mine arrives," added another. Another comment summarized the collective sentiment: "There is still hope that it will reach all of us."
A user expressed it especially clearly: "Congratulations, I don't know you, but it makes me very happy to see Cubans being granted their residency. I've been here for many years, but it still brings me tremendous joy and happiness."
There was also uncertainty regarding migration pathways. A follower directly asked: "CBP or parole?" This question reflects the confusion surrounding the various legal mechanisms available to Cubans in the United States.
The video comes at a time when residency approvals for Cubans have plummeted by nearly 99.8% under the Trump administration, according to an analysis by the Cato Institute. In February 2025, the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved 10,984 permanent residencies for Cubans; by January 2026, that number had fallen to just 15 green cards, with more than 7,000 applications still pending.
This decline has specific causes. In February 2025, USCIS suspended the processing of applications for individuals who entered under the CHNV humanitarian parole program, which included Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. In December 2025, the pause was extended to citizens from 19 countries considered high risk, including Cuba. At the same time, arrests of Cubans by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increased by 463% during the same period.
In this context, the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act continues to be the primary legal pathway for Cubans who have been in the United States for at least one year to apply for permanent residency, although its practical application is being limited by current immigration policies. The debate over whether the I-220A order equates to "parole" for the purposes of this law remains active in the federal courts.
Similar stories have frequently gone viral in recent months: a Cuban in Miami received her residency after four years of waiting, another Cuban cried upon opening the envelope after ten years without seeing his family, and a cousin with I-220A shared his reaction in October 2025. Each of these videos generates the same wave of congratulations and hope.
With each approval that goes viral, the Cuban community abroad finds a reminder that the path, although increasingly narrow, remains possible.
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