A Cuban resident in Miami identified as Jenn_cm posted a nearly eight-minute video on TikTok on Monday, in which she vents about the consequences of having the I-220A immigration status, which she describes as "by far one of the worst things that has happened to me in my life."
The testimony immediately resonated within the Cuban community in the United States, accumulating over 12,300 views, 774 likes, and 243 comments in just a few hours, becoming a mirror of the distress shared by hundreds of thousands of Cubans trapped in that legal limbo.
Jenn_cm detailed that she paid 13,000 dollars solely in attorney fees to address her immigration situation, and warned that this expense is not the only issue: "There is nothing positive about this," she stated emphatically.
One of the aspects that weighs most heavily on him is the obligation to report annually to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "There are people who don't have to go to ICE, and thank God I'm so happy for them, but people like me who have to go to ICE every year and expose ourselves to them... the fear, the uncertainty, it makes your hair fall out, the nerves, it's awful," he described.
The Cuban woman also listed the educational barriers she faces. She studied medicine in Cuba for four years and has academic credits, but she cannot enroll in public universities—the most affordable ones—because they require permanent residency. The only institutions that would accept her are high-cost private schools geared towards international students.
"I pay taxes, I pay contributions, I am a person who contributes with my taxes... and I can't receive government assistance, I can't apply for FAFSA, I can't have any of that," he stated, highlighting the contradiction of contributing to the tax system without being able to access its benefits.
At the beginning of this year, he attempted to buy a home and, as he recounted, everything was in order. However, he was denied access to the Hometown Heroes assistance program because his work permit carries the code "08," associated with I-220A. "I had absolutely everything; I had no issues. What did they tell me? Oh, your work permit is zero eight… you can't," he recalled.
The ban on Federal Housing Administration (FHA) backed mortgages for individuals without permanent residency, effective from May 25, 2025, has closed another avenue that some Cubans with I-220A had previously been able to utilize, according to information on detentions and restrictions for I-220A holders.
Jenn_cm also reported that a Cuban employee from an educational institution treated her with disdain upon learning her status, an experience she described as a form of discrimination within the community itself.
His situation reflects that of between 400,000 and 500,000 Cubans in the United States who hold the I-220A, a Order of Supervision form issued by ICE that allows them to remain out of custody while a deportation process is underway, but does not constitute legal admission nor grant access to the Cuban Adjustment Act. In 2026, judges in several states granted residency to Cubans with that status, although the federal government has appealed all those decisions.
Despite the weight of her story, Jenn_cm ended the video with a message of encouragement for those who share her situation: "You can't give up. Don't give up, because if you've come this far, trust that everything will be fine. You've come a long way without documents, just imagine how far you'll go with them."
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