Title: Cuban Jehovah’s Witness Family Separated as Father Denied Entry into the US: Calls for Unity and Support Grow
Date: [Insert Date]
By [Your Name], [Your Publication]
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, a Cuban family of Jehovah’s Witnesses has been torn apart by the humanitarian parole program after the father was denied entry into the United States. The mother, Saily Rodríguez, successfully entered the country with their son, while her husband was left stranded in Cuba.
Speaking with journalist Mario J. Pentón from AmericaTeve Miami, Rodríguez shared their ordeal and appealed to her husband to remain resilient and rely on prayer. She further called on people to extend their support and help reunite their family.
Despite the mother and son being swiftly approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the father faced a grueling, 21-day wait that ended in disappointment. Determined to uncover the reasons behind the denial, Rodríguez has engaged a lawyer in Tampa, who is in contact with the State Department to investigate the matter.
Rodríguez revealed that official letters from the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have confirmed that there are no valid grounds preventing her husband from traveling to the United States. Furthermore, she highlighted her son’s medical condition, emphasizing the importance of his father’s presence and support.
“My child with special needs, who suffers from mild cerebral palsy and autism disorders, is greatly affected by his father’s absence. It is he who bears the brunt of these circumstances,” lamented Rodríguez.
Having worked as self-employed individuals in Cuba, the family remains bewildered by the denial and desperately seeks answers. They express their gratitude for the opportunity provided by the humanitarian parole program, acknowledging the substantial benefits their son has already received in the US, notably from the dedicated attention of doctors at a local hospital.
Describing their separation as “terrible,” the couple, married for 25 years, now face an indefinite period of separation and anguish.
Amidst their personal struggle, it is crucial to note that more than 38,000 Cubans have received approval to travel to the United States under the humanitarian parole program. Since its initiation, over 35,000 Cuban individuals have successfully reached US territories to seek better opportunities and improved living conditions.
However, the future of the humanitarian parole program hangs in the balance as it faces legal challenges. A group of 20 states has filed a lawsuit seeking its removal, and the case is scheduled to go to trial on August 24. A verdict is expected by the end of the year.
The plight of this Cuban Jehovah’s Witness family serves as a stark reminder of the human cost associated with immigration restrictions and their consequences. As calls for unity and support grow louder, individuals and organizations around the world must work collectively to address such issues and strive for greater compassion and reunification of families caught in similar circumstances.
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