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Eight Cuban women who had been in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) celebrated their release after several weeks in immigration centers in South Florida.
All were arrested during what they initially considered routine appointments at the ICE offices, and they faced the risk of deportation as they did not have permanent work permits or favorable resolutions for their asylum applications.
The detainees, with cases still pending in court, spent two months in various migrant centers until they were released last Tuesday.
Unexpected arrest and confinement
The women, holders of I-220A notifications - a document that indicates the obligation to appear before an immigration judge - were detained without prior notice when they attended their follow-up appointments.
According to reports from Telemundo 51, they were placed in shackles and chains at the waist, a procedure that, while included in ICE's detention protocol, caused them significant emotional distress.
Beatriz Monteagudo, 25 years old and the last to regain her freedom, described how they were treated as if they had committed a huge crime. "I know it's the procedure, but for me, the most traumatic part was that."
Monteagudo, who is out on bail thanks to a legal team that took on her case pro bono, shared space in one of the centers with 18 other women, all facing the same uncertainty of not knowing what would happen to them.
Political intervention and support from Congresswoman Salazar
On Thursday, the eight women met with Florida Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who this week celebrated the release of the eight young Cuban women.
Salazar told Telemundo that the congress members from South Florida are trying to explain to the Trump administration the differences between the various immigration statuses of individuals who have entered the United States irregularly.
"I am sure that as time goes by, the situation will be understood better," she stated.
The Cuban-American policy announced that in June it will present the Dignity Act again. "That law is going to be both Solomon-like and revolutionary, and it will include the people of 220A," it emphasized.
Obstacles on the Path to Asylum
Immigration attorney Liudmila A. Marcelo revealed that the eight Cuban women were detained randomly, and explained that her defense strategy should prioritize the asylum case defense.
"It is important to prepare it thoroughly, because the judges are increasingly requesting more evidence. The other option is that the existing petition for it to be considered a parole succeeds," he emphasized.
Uncertainty and hopes
With the legal backing of Congresswoman Salazar and community organizations in Miami, the eight women are now preparing for their hearings before the immigration judges.
If their arguments are successful, they will obtain the right to remain in the United States, work legally, and eventually access permanent residency.
Meanwhile, they have returned to community life with their families, but under strict supervision: they must report periodically to ICE and comply with conditions of supervised release.
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