Republican congresswoman María Elvira Salazar published an urgent video on her X account this Saturday, addressing Cubans who hold the I-220A form, after receiving a direct call from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) warning her that individuals with that document are going to notaries to forge a parole.
The legislator issued a double warning: to the desperate Cubans seeking that illegal out, and to the public notaries who are facilitating the fraud.
"Do you think the authorities won't notice?"
"I'm making this video for everyone who has an I-220A. ICE just called me at the office to tell me that there are many people with an I-220A who are going to notaries to forge a parole," Salazar began in the video.
The congresswoman was straightforward in pointing out the naivety of the plan: “But do you really think that the American authorities won't realize that this document is fake?”
His message acknowledged the community's anguish, but it was firm regarding the consequences.
"To everyone who has an I-220A and is feeling desperate, I understand that the situation is tough, but it will be much worse for you if you start forging documents," he asserted
Direct warning to fraudulent notaries
Salazar also pointedly addressed those who profit from the desperation of others.
"And especially to the notary, the public notary who is forging these documents. You know very well that this is punishable by law," he asserted.
Falsifying immigration documents in the United States is a federal crime with penalties that can reach up to five years in prison in certain cases and up to 15 years in more serious instances, in addition to deportation and a permanent ban on obtaining residency or citizenship.
The congresswoman emphasized that those who choose to falsify documents permanently close the door to U.S. citizenship.
"You all know that I am your strongest defender, that I understand things are not easy, but by forging a document and involving federal authorities, what you are doing is digging your own grave and will never be able to become a citizen of the United States," she warned.
Despite the severity of her warning, the congresswoman ended the video with a message of hope.
"I am the one who is fighting the hardest for you. I have already spoken with Homeland Security, and I completely understand the desperation in the I-220A community. Don't worry, I am sure there is light at the end of the tunnel," she concluded.
A limbo that affects half a million Cubans
The I-220A form - a Notice to Appear - was issued to between 400,000 and 500,000 Cubans who crossed the border during the Biden administration, instead of the formal parole that other migrants in similar circumstances received.
Those who received parole can benefit from the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 and apply for permanent residency after one year and one day on U.S. soil; those who have the I-220A do not have that option available.
On February 24, 2026, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals overturned previous decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals and remanded the files for further review, without granting automatic residency. Several judges have granted residency in individual cases, but the federal government has immediately appealed all those victories.
Meanwhile, the courts have expedited hearings scheduled for 2028 or 2029 to the summer of 2026.
Lawyer Willy Allen estimated that the BIA's final decision could arrive in October or November, although he warned that it could be unfavorable.
In June 2026, Salazar sent a formal letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin demanding parole-in-place for those without criminal records, with the Department of Homeland Security having taken no concrete action to date.
Filed under: