Belkis Castillo Méndez, the mother of Beatriz Monteagudo, a Cuban woman with an I-220A, is urgently seeking support after her daughter's detainment by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Miramar, Broward on March 10. Five days later, Beatriz was transferred to the Otay Center in San Diego, California. Belkis is appealing to Cubans, especially those from the Sancti Spíritus province living in the United States, to help raise funds for her daughter's legal representation. "Please, help me to help her," she implores, expressing her desperation to CiberCuba.
In videos shared with the platform, Belkis recounts how her daughter was detained after responding to a summons at the ICE office in Miramar. Beatriz had crossed the border into the U.S. around a year ago, receiving an I-220A. She had already applied for political asylum and was awaiting a court date in February, but had yet to receive further information. Meanwhile, she was in the process of obtaining a work permit. The family is currently unable to communicate with her at her detention facility.
A friend of the 26-year-old, whose birthday is August 28, 1999, has launched a GoFundMe campaign titled "Help for a Lawyer." The campaign aims to gather enough funds to secure legal aid for Beatriz Monteagudo, who is currently housed with common prisoners in California. Unfortunately, only $610 has been raised so far, a sum insufficient to cover a bail amount that immigration specialists suggest could range from $3,000 to $12,000, depending on the judge's decision.
Beatriz, a graduate in a technical specialty in Medical Sciences from Cuba, was transferred from Broward to San Diego, with a stop in Arizona, three days ago. She remains uninformed about her immediate future. Her economic situation is precarious as she was without a work permit and waiting for its approval. She anticipated receiving notification regarding her permit, but with her phone confiscated by ICE in Miramar, she remains in the dark about her status.
Belkis fears her daughter might be deported back to Cuba, a country she fled seeking freedom at the U.S.-Mexico border. "If there's no freedom there, where is it?" Belkis questions from Cuba, heartbroken over her daughter's potential fate. Beatriz openly opposes the Communist Party's political system and does not wish to return.
In response to the arrests of Cubans with I-220A, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar has intervened, urging ICE officials to halt these detentions. She intends to propose legislation in Congress that would grant these individuals parole, allowing them to benefit from the Cuban Adjustment Act.
Immigration lawyer Willy Allen believes that Cuban-American congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez, and María Elvira Salazar have enough influence to compel the Department of Homeland Security to address the plight of Cubans with I-220A. He argues that since they have been identified and admitted to the U.S., they qualify for the Cuban Adjustment Act. In Allen's view, resolving this issue is a matter of political will.
Understanding the Cuban I-220A Immigration Issue
What is an I-220A?
An I-220A is a document issued by U.S. immigration authorities that allows certain individuals to remain in the United States while they await further immigration proceedings. It is not permanent residency or a work permit.
How can funds be raised for Beatriz Monteagudo's legal aid?
A fundraising campaign has been set up on GoFundMe under the title "Help for a Lawyer" to collect donations for Beatriz Monteagudo's legal representation.
What actions are being taken by U.S. lawmakers regarding the detentions of Cubans with I-220A?
Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar has been advocating for the cessation of detentions and is planning to introduce legislation that would allow Cubans with I-220A to apply for parole under the Cuban Adjustment Act.