A young Cuban mother who built her life from scratch in Miami—establishing her own business and raising a daughter born on American soil—now faces a deportation order to Ecuador that threatens to dismantle everything she has achieved in four years.
Her story, told in an interview with Gloria Ordaz for Telemundo 51, represents the face of a migration crisis affecting tens of thousands of Cubans with I-220A forms in the United States.
"I still can't believe this news."
Leidys Barrabí is 25 years old and crossed the U.S. border in 2022 after a journey that started in Nicaragua.
Like many other Cuban migrants from that time, he received an I-220A form—a notice of supervised release issued by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—and began to build his life in Miami.
She didn't sit idle. She studied cosmetology, obtained her professional license, and, together with her husband, who also holds an I-220A, opened a beauty salon in the city.
Today she is the mother of a six-month-old baby born in the United States. However, last week the news arrived that changed everything.
“I received a deportation order. I still can't believe this news,” said Barrabí, who describes this moment as the most difficult since he set foot on American soil.
The order would be sent to Ecuador, a country with which it has no ties. Since November 2025, Ecuador has operated as a deportation destination for Cubans under an asylum cooperation agreement signed with the U.S. government.
A life built on sacrifice
Barrabí did not hold back in describing what is at stake: "I am a Cuban mother who arrived in this country four years ago with many dreams and the desire to succeed. After years of sacrifice, building my business from the ground up, creating a successful salon in Miami, and establishing a stable life for my daughter and my family, I received this news."
An eventual deportation would not only mean leaving her home but also losing the business she built after years of hard work. And the blow didn't come alone: her mother, the baby's grandmother, also received a deportation order.
In the face of uncertainty, Barrabí holds on to faith: "I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I trust in God."
The legal battle and the lawyer's advice
Determined not to give up, Barrabí made her story public to highlight what she claims other Cubans are also experiencing with I-220A.
In the program Encuentro Virtual, from Telemundo 51, immigration attorney Avelino González -not linked to his case- discussed the legal options available for Cubans in similar situations and offered guidance on what Barrabí should avoid doing while remaining in an irregular immigration status.
The limbo of the I-220A
The case of Barrabí is not isolated.
The I-220A form does not equate to a parole or a formal admission to the country, which prevents its holders from automatically accessing the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 to obtain permanent residency.
That law requires having been "inspected and admitted" or being on parole, a condition that the I-220A does not meet.
According to reported data, there are over 42,000 Cubans with active deportation orders in the United States, and in the first five months of 2026, 612 Cubans were deported in 18 operations.
In addition, the immigration courts in Miami have expedited hearings that were scheduled for 2028 or 2029, dramatically reducing the preparation time for cases.
One of the available options is to appeal the order to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) using the EOIR-26 form within 30 days, although the appeal itself does not automatically suspend the deportation.
In February 2026, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned decisions by the Board of Immigration Appeals in cases involving Cuban nationals with I-220A and returned the files for new review, without declaring automatic eligibility for residency.
The legal situation remains unresolved for tens of thousands of Cubans who, like Barrabí, have built productive lives in the United States but remain trapped in a migratory limbo with no clear way out in sight.
Related videos:
Filed under: