She worked for 27 years at the University of Tampa and fears being sent to a third country because her Cuban passport has expired.
14ymedio, Havana, 27 July 2025 — Yelenis Pérez, a 63-year-old Cuban resident in Florida, is facing a deportation order issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after living in the United States for three decades and working for 27 years at the University of Tampa. The decision, which surprised her family and colleagues, was announced at her last immigration appointment on July 14.
Pérez was under a C18 migratory status, a category that allows a permanent supervised stay in the U.S. despite having a final deportation order, as long as immediate removal is not viable. However, according to Noticias Tampa Hoy, on this occasion, the ICE officer informed her that she must leave the country within 90 days.
“Since that day, I’m not the same. My life has changed completely,” the Cuban woman confessed through tears in an interview with local media. “I’ve never failed, I’ve always done my part. You can check my papers, my history. I’ve been 100% honest with my case.”
“Since that day, I’m not the same. My life has changed completely.”
One of the main obstacles she now faces is renewing her Cuban passport, which has expired. She explained that the Island’s consulate informed her that the process could take months. Furthermore, since April 1, 2025 , the Cuban government has not allowed citizens with expired passports to enter the country, placing Pérez in immigration limbo.
“My fear is that Cuba won’t accept me and then ICE will decide which country to send me to. That’s what I don’t want,” she said. If she fails to renew her document within the established deadline, immigration authorities could consider deporting her to a third country. Recently, two Cuban migrants lost their appeal in the US and were unable to avoid being sent to South Sudan.
Pérez has publicly asked the Donald Trump administration to reconsider her case. “I would like to stay in the country because I have my children. What will become of them without me?” she said, referring to her family in Florida, which also includes her husband and grandchildren.
The case has sparked a wave of reactions on social media and among immigrant rights advocates, who are calling for a humanitarian review. Meanwhile, uncertainty grows for Pérez.
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