On Monday, Cuban academic and activist Omara Ruiz Urquiola claimed in an interview with CiberCuba that the United States has denied her the student visa required to commence her Mellon Foundation fellowship at Florida International University (FIU). The fellowship was awarded in May of the previous year, but her complex immigration status has posed challenges. Due to restrictions from the Miguel Díaz-Canel regime, she is unable to return to Cuba and refuses to apply for the Cuban Adjustment Act, asserting that she is not an exile but remains in the U.S. because her civil rights have been violated.
Ruiz Urquiola holds Jorge Duany, retired professor and former director of the Cuban Research Institute at FIU, accountable for the bureaucratic impasse that has prevented her from starting her fellowship. Duany contacted CiberCuba to defend his actions and responded to their questionnaire.
Denial of Visa: A Misunderstanding?
In a CiberCuba interview dated November 4, Ruiz Urquiola baselessly accused me of being the "primary culprit" behind the U.S. Department of State's denial of her J-1 visa application. This non-immigrant visa is essential for engaging in educational and cultural exchange programs, which is critical for her Mellon Foundation fellowship at FIU.
I want to clarify that the Cuban Research Institute at FIU did everything possible to facilitate Ruiz Urquiola's visa process and ensure she could accept the well-deserved fellowship awarded in May 2023. However, the university does not handle the legal processes for fellows, as Ruiz Urquiola seems to believe. Our responsibility was to issue an official invitation letter (using the DS-2019 form), which was amended and sent three times to help her meet the State Department's requirements.
Complex Immigration Status and Its Implications
As Ruiz Urquiola herself noted, her previous B2 visa expired in January 2023, leaving her without legal status in the U.S. This is the reason the J-1 visa was denied, not due to any procedural error or "lack of transparency" on FIU's or my part. Informal inquiries with the State Department and immigration lawyers confirmed that she must adjust her immigration status before receiving the J-1 visa, a step only she can undertake.
Seeking Solutions and Addressing Transparency Concerns
We acknowledge the complexity of her situation, but it is beyond our capacity to resolve an issue that Ruiz Urquiola must address with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Federal regulations stipulate that anyone receiving payments from a U.S. university must have legal immigration status, either a J-1 visa or permanent residency. Without such status, there is nothing FIU can do to employ a foreign visitor.
The Cuban Research Institute does not take a stance on Ruiz Urquiola's options for obtaining recognized legal status in the U.S.
Regarding claims of transparency issues within FIU's Cuban Research Institute, a committee of Cuban experts at FIU evaluates scholarship applications based on professional records, academic proposals, and the risk of persecution or harassment for peaceful demonstrations in Cuba. In U.S. universities, the names of committee members are typically kept confidential to ensure impartial evaluations.
University Support and Individual Responsibility
FIU sponsors visits from distinguished foreign scholars and students, such as those selected for the Threatened Cuban Scholars Fellowships. From the outset, the Cuban Research Institute has supported all fellows in completing the necessary procedures required by both the U.S. government and FIU. However, the university does not manage visas for the hundreds of international students and professors visiting FIU annually. The visa process is the responsibility of the fellowship recipient and may require independent legal advice, as in Ruiz Urquiola's case.
During the 2023–24 academic year, visual artist Lía Villares received the Mellon Fellowship for Threatened Cuban Scholars. Two others, poet Katherine Bisquet and anthropologist Marialina García Ramos, were delayed due to unforeseen visa issues but are now at FIU for their projects. For 2024–25, art historian Carolina Barrero, anthropologist and visual artist Celia Irina González, visual artist Camila Lobón, and journalist Yoe Suárez have been selected. Barrero and Lobón are currently in residence, while González and Suárez are expected next semester.
Personal Attacks and Misunderstandings
It seems that Ruiz Urquiola has misunderstood the procedures required for obtaining a U.S. J-1 visa. I do not understand why she has personally attacked me when this is purely a legal matter that must be resolved with USCIS.