U.S. Deports Cuban Mother, Separates Family in Tampa

Heydi Sánchez Tejeda, a Cuban woman living in Tampa and married to a U.S. citizen, was abruptly deported to Cuba by U.S. immigration authorities after attending a routine ICE appointment, leaving behind her one-year-old, breastfeeding daughter. Her case, despite her ongoing efforts to regularize her status through a family petition and strict compliance with immigration requirements, has sparked outrage and division within the Cuban American community. Critics argue that recent policies have led to the targeting and deportation of migrants with pending legal cases, disrupting families and traumatizing young children. While some community members sympathize with Sánchez’s plight and condemn family separations, others question why she had not secured permanent residency sooner. The incident highlights both the emotional toll of current immigration enforcement and the complexities faced by migrants navigating the U.S. system. Sánchez’s deportation is part of a broader pattern, with hundreds of Cubans deported in similar circumstances in recent months.