The Cuban activist Óscar Casanella expressed his outrage at a paradox that he finds deeply unjust: while he has spent more than four years in a migratory limbo fighting for his political asylum in Miami, enforcers of the Cuban regime enter and legally settle in the United States, some even obtaining residency or citizenship.
In an interview with Tania Costa, Casanella recounted that he read that a granddaughter of Raúl Castro has entered and exited the United States with expenses paid by the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "When you see these things, the ease with which the repressors enter and leave the United States and what your asylum is costing you... It's very, very sad. It generates a lot of anger and helplessness in me," he stated.
The activist emphasized that his case is not an exception. "I'm not the only one. There are other cases. There's also Yuri Valle Roca, who is in a complex situation, without a work permit. There’s Gorky Águila, my friend, who is one of the founders of Porno para Ricardo, and he has visited the United States many times and hasn't been granted a visa. They have recently denied him a visa," he noted.
Casanella warned that the situation affects a larger number of people who do not always have public visibility. "There are many other activists and dissidents who may not have such a high profile, but who do have evidence, testimonies, and witnesses to what they endured in Cuba, and we find ourselves in a legal limbo without knowing what the outcome will be."
The activist's anger focuses on the contrast between his situation and that of those who persecuted him in Cuba. "And then to see those who repressed us in Cuba come in and even walk around legally is truly outrageous."
This report is supported by documentary evidence. The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba identified 1,130 repressors since 2017, of which 135 would have entered or were in the process of entering the United States by February 2025. In July of that year, at least 100 repressors linked to Castroism had settled in Miami and Tampa.
Casanella also criticized the immigration policies of both U.S. administrations, those of Biden and Trump. "The previous administration, which I believe did not implement a true filter at the border. But now I think it has gone to the other extreme, and I am afraid it is being thought that all of us who cross the border are criminals and delinquents. I think it is a mistake to think that," he stated.
The activist had a hearing before an immigration judge in Miami this Friday, August 28, as part of his removal process, but it has been rescheduled to January 2027. The appointment appeared unexpectedly in the system more than a year after his final asylum hearing, which took place in June 2025 and concluded without a verdict after more than six hours.
Casanella confirmed that he will be accompanied by legal counsel. "Yes, I'm going to court with my lawyer Kenia García, who represented me in my final asylum hearing."
However, there is complete uncertainty about what will happen in that room. "Unfortunately, we have no prior information on what the objective is, what the reason for the hearing is," said Casanella, admitting his fear of being deported.
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