María Elvira Salazar advocates by project that covers Cubans I-220a

Cuban-American congresswoman María Elvira Salazar has announced that she works on a bill that favors Cubans I-220a.

Through a statement shared on social networks and an interview offered to the Univisión chain, it is a legal figure that allows Cubans notified with this category, to follow their process in the country until the residence is obtained.

“My work in Washington does not stop, you know it! I am writing a bill so that I-220a can be used by Cubans to apply to the residence through the Cuban adjustment law, ”said Republican congresswoman.

What is form I-220A and how does Cubans affect?

Form I-220A is a measure used by immigration authorities to free asylum applicants under supervision, but unlike the “parole”, it does not grant formal legal protection or access to migratory benefits such as work permit.

In fact, Cubans who possess it are in a situation of vulnerability, since they not only lack a clear immigration status, but, unlike TPS beneficiaries (temporary protection status), they have no protection against deportation .

This condition has generated a complex panorama for about half a million Cubans who, despite having arrived in the hope of a better life, today are faced with the possibility of being deported without having a defined path towards the legalization of their status.

What options Cubans have with I-220a

The Cuban adjustment law, which grants the possibility of requesting permanent residence from Cubans who have been in the United States for a year and one day, represents one of the few available roads for the island’s immigrants who wish to regularize their situation.

However, The form i-220a, According to a failure of the Immigration Appeals Board in 2023, it is not considered a valid document to access this benefit, which has affected thousands of Cubans who still expect a solution.

María Elvira Salazar, who has been a tireless defender of the Cuban community, has clearly indicated the need for the United States Government to grant legal status that allows the bearers of the I-220a to benefit from the Cuban adjustment law.

In her public interventions, the congresswoman has highlighted the injustice of leaving these migrants in a legal limbo, pointing out that the Biden Administration, together with the Department of National Security, had the ability to solve this problem and did not.

His message has been clear: the regularization of these Cubans who have been in the country and have met all the requirements to regularize their status cannot be postponed.

Uncertain future

Through forums and calling for action, Salazar has urged Cuban migrants with I-220a to register in a database that is creating in order to present their cases in an organized manner and exert pressure to grant a « Parole in Place ».

This measure would allow migrants to adjust their status without the need to abandon the country, which is crucial in a context where the migratory policies of the current administration have hardened.

However, the increase in deportation fears in February 2025 reflects the climate of uncertainty that continues to surround these migrants. Although Salazar continues to work in the search for solutions, difficulties persist and the future of Cubans with I-220A is still uncertain.

Ultimately, the bill promoted by María Elvira Salazar represents an opportunity for Cubans with I-220a and a light at the end of a tunnel that becomes longer long.