Tampa woman deported to Cuba after normal check-in at immigration office
The Brief
A Tampa woman was deported to Cuba after a normal check-in at the immigration office.
Heidy Sanchez was among more than dozens of migrants sent on a plane from Miami to Cuba last week as part of the trump administration's crackdown on migrants in the U.S.
Her husband, Valle, said he met with Tampa U. S. Representative Kathy Castor on Friday to share his story.
TAMPA - A normal check-in at the immigration office ended with a Tampa family being ripped apart, following a mother's deportation to Cuba.
Heidy Sanchez was among more than dozens of migrants sent on a plane from Miami to Cuba last week as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on migrants in the U.S.
Her husband, Carlos Yuniel Valle, is a U.S. citizen, and he said they are fighting for his wife's return.
She left behind her husband and one-year-old baby girl Kaeleyn, who is nursing and has health conditions.
Valle said they were in the middle of getting her status to stay in the country, but that process is now on hold. He said his wife's deportation did not give her due process.
The last time they were all together was on Tuesday, April 22.
What they're saying
"We have lived very normal lives. We had our baby. We were able to buy our house and tragedy just surprised us," said Valle, Heidy's husband.
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Valle said his wife was detained that Tuesday after a regular check-in appointment with immigration and customs enforcement. A Cuban migrant who had been in Tampa since 2019, she deported last week back to Cuba.
"My wife did everything by the law. She never got into any trouble. She went to all of her ICE appointments year by year," said Valle.
He works to raise awareness of their situation at protests, and Sanchez has posted social media videos, pleading for their reunion. Now living at her mother's house, the couple video chat when Sanchez can get a signal, the latest on Thursday night when Valle put their daughter to sleep.
"She tells me let me sing the lullaby that I would sing to her. And she starts and the baby kisses the phone and touches her face on the phone. And then I start crying, she starts crying," said Valle.
Valle said they have been married for four years, and they were in the process of getting her status through family reunification. Until there's final approval of residency, immigration experts say migrants are vulnerable.
"So that's a real big change, both that the US is not granting Cubans residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act as regularly as in past decades and that Cubans are being physically removed," said Michael Vastine, director of clinical programs and law professor at Stetson University College of Law. "It's hanging over the heads of many people that are in the U S that just haven't had those orders executed."
As the days go on, Valle hopes it won't take years for his wife to hold their daughter again.
"What I'm asking her for her to be returned to her daughter, so she can raise her daughter, care take for her," said Valle.
Valle said he met with Tampa U. S. Representative Kathy Castor on Friday to share his story.
Following the Tampa Bay deportations, her office said in a statement, "Immigration enforcement must be lawful and humane, not weaponized for political stunts."
What you can do
The Stetson law professor said anyone with questions or concerns about their status should call a nonprofit or private attorney that helps with immigration.
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The Source
Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Briona Arradondo.
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