Young Cuban Woman Detained in the US after Falling Victim to Immigration Scam
In a shocking turn of events, a young Cuban woman named Naya Cruz Fonseca has been detained upon entering the United States, after it was discovered that her humanitarian parole was fake. The 20-year-old is now at risk of being deported back to Cuba, leaving her in a dire situation.
Naya had no trouble leaving Cuba and arrived in the United States through Tampa airport with what she believed to be a genuine humanitarian parole. However, during routine checks, customs authorities from the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) discovered that her document was not legitimate.
“When they reviewed my documents, they saw that my number did not appear in the system, and then they told me that the parole was false,” explained the devastated victim, who is currently detained and facing the prospect of being sent back to the island.
It was revealed that Naya had been waiting for the approval of her parole for an excruciating six months since February. Her partner, Marcos Pérez, who resides in the United States, decided to hire the services of an alleged lawyer who claimed to expedite the legal process.
“We fell into a scam with a supposed lawyer who said she could speed up the process. We contacted her and paid her a fortune,” Pérez summarized.
After transferring a hefty sum of money to the fraudulent processor, Naya received two emails seemingly from the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) in her Gmail account.
“In one email, I was informed that my husband had been approved. And ten minutes later, another email arrived notifying us that the PDF with the travel authorization was ready,” Naya recounted.
Sensing something was amiss, the couple decided to use the “Online Case Status” tool to check if there were any updates or changes in the processing of their paperwork. However, the travel authorization did not appear in the system.
They immediately reached out to the scammer again for an explanation and were told that it was normal for the approval not to appear in the USCIS system, as there were numerous applications and updating the information could take time.
Despite the risk of being deported, Naya swiftly applied for political asylum, expressing her fear of returning to Cuba. She was then subjected to a credible fear interview to establish the legitimacy of her claims, as stated by her lawyer, Ismael Labrador.
“We have evidence that she was a victim of fraud, and we are working on securing her asylum,” Labrador concluded, determined to fight for Naya’s rights.
For those who want to verify whether their humanitarian parole has been approved, the USCIS provides simple mechanisms online or via telephone. Applicants can visit the Online Case Status link and enter their 13-character receipt number from the application form.
Alternatively, they can call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 (1-800-767-1833 for the hearing impaired) from within the United States. For callers from outside the United States, the number to dial is 212-620-3418, or they can contact the USCIS international offices through alternative channels.
The case of Naya Cruz Fonseca sheds light on the unfortunate reality of immigration scams that pose a serious threat to individuals seeking a better life. It serves as a reminder to remain vigilant and cautious in dealing with immigration matters, ensuring the authenticity of legal processes to prevent falling victim to such deceitful schemes.