Beatriz Monteagudo Castillo, a young Cuban woman born on August 28, 1999, has shared her distressing experience with CiberCuba, describing her confinement at the Otay Center in San Diego, California, as "horrible" and a "very tough situation," especially since she has committed no crimes. Upon entering through the Mexican border, she was issued an I-220A, and her asylum application in the United States is already underway.
Monteagudo was taken into custody on March 10 after attending her appointment at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Miramar, Broward County. On March 15, she was transferred to a general prison, where she shares space with women convicted of various minor offenses. "Being locked up here makes you reflect on so many things. From the moment you entered this country to your current predicament. It's terrible because sometimes you have hope, faith that you'll get out, that you'll afford a lawyer, and that you'll win your case. I have my political asylum, and I know I will fight and win it. But then you start hearing stories from everyone; you feel down, depressed, as you don't know how things will end up. Some encourage you, saying there are good judges, while others claim judges don't care and come to court with decisions already made. The tension inside is unbearable; there's also the worry of not getting sick because you don't eat well, don't sleep well, and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. It's honestly an extremely tough situation," she expressed.
As one of the first Cuban women detained with an I-220A, Monteagudo explained that she left Cuba with a degree in Medical Sciences, crossing the border into the United States intending to work and study. "I wanted to pay my rent, live a normal life, gain residency to have a legal status here; I never thought about going back to Cuba once I arrived. I aimed to build a good life, free of criminal records, focused on doing things right from the start," she added.
Currently, all Cuban women with an I-220A detained by ICE at the Otay Center are overwhelmed with uncertainty, as lawyers fail to provide answers or transfer their court cases to California. "We don't know what's going to happen," she stated.
She further explained that attorneys filing motions with the supposed deporter, an ICE agent, receive no response. "Bail is supposedly set by the judge, but without the court being transferred here, ICE has informed us that Miami judges no longer have jurisdiction over Cubans with I-220A."
When asked by CiberCuba about her future plans, Beatriz Monteagudo reiterated her initial aspirations since entering the United States: to work, study, and build her life. "I want to establish my future in this country; my family, my children. I left my homeland to start anew here. I didn't want my children to grow up under a dictatorship. I wanted them to be born in a free country," she concluded.
Following her detention, a friend of Beatriz, who turns 26 this year, initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for legal fees. So far, they have only gathered $3,600. Beatriz's mother has appealed for help from all Cubans, particularly those from Sancti Spíritus residing in the United States.
Initially, immigration attorney Willy Allen stated in a CiberCuba interview that Cubans with I-220A would neither be detained nor deported. However, detentions have occurred. Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar intervened, speaking with high-ranking ICE officials to halt the detentions of Cubans with I-220A, and since her involvement, no further arrests have been reported.
She has pledged to secure legal status for Cubans with I-220A, proposing a parole to allow them to apply for the Cuban Adjustment Act. Willy Allen believes there's no need for the congresswoman to introduce legislation in Congress. In his view, an administrative order from the Department of Homeland Security acknowledging that Cubans with I-220A meet the eligibility criteria for the Adjustment Act—having been interviewed and admitted into the United States—would suffice.
Key Questions About I-220A and Immigration Issues
What is an I-220A document?
An I-220A is a document issued by U.S. immigration authorities that allows certain individuals to be released under supervision while their case is processed. It is not a guarantee of legal status.
Why are Cubans with I-220A being detained?
Cubans with I-220A, like Beatriz Monteagudo, are being detained due to changes in immigration policy and enforcement, despite previous assurances that they would not be detained or deported.
What is the Cuban Adjustment Act?
The Cuban Adjustment Act is a U.S. law that provides a pathway to legal residency for Cubans who have been admitted or paroled into the United States and have been physically present for at least one year.