Lázaro Acosta, a Cuban with an I-220A visa, self-deported to Mexico to avoid future penalties. He recounts his experience and offers advice on the immigration process and the journey to Cancún.
A Cuban man with an I-220A visa shared on social media that he left the United States for Mexico through a “voluntary departure” authorized by a judge, after being held in a detention center.
In several Instagram posts, Lázaro Acosta stated that he made the decision to avoid possible deportation with penalties of 5 to 10 years and to retain the option of returning “legally” in the future.
The young man—who claims to have lived in the U.S. for almost four years and to have no “criminal record”—said that several lawyers advised him against achieving results for people detained under this immigration status, and said that he opted for voluntary departure as a “personal” decision, without “inciting” others to do the same.
In his testimony, he explained that during his detention, three lawyers “turned their backs on him,” although—according to him—they were honest in telling him that they weren’t getting good results getting detainees released from the centers.
He also stated that he paid $3,000 to a lawyer to arrange his voluntary release, but called it the “most wasted money” because, in his opinion, he could have requested it himself before the judge since he has no criminal record.
The Cuban man said that he maintains contact with acquaintances who are still detained and that many are desperate and have appealed their cases, a process that—according to him—can take six to ten months and still end in deportation with penalties.
He stated that, given the lack of a “solution” regarding the I-220A issue and promises of dates that “never materialize,” he preferred to leave voluntarily.
In a second account, Lázaro detailed the procedure for his transfer. He said that on December 5th he was released and taken by bus to the Hidalgo Bridge, on the border with Reynosa.
After crossing on foot, he stated that he went through a checkpoint where his health was checked (asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, among others) and that his belongings were placed in bags for group transport.
He then indicated that he was transferred in a van, under the custody of the National Guard, to a nearby immigration center where they checked if he was carrying any belongings and made him sign “six or seven books” with his personal information.
He said that they were given lunch there and that the treatment was “very good.”
Afterward, he described how they left in escorted buses and that the journey continued across the country until they reached Villahermosa (Tabasco), where they were given an electronic safe-conduct pass (without being given a physical document).
According to his account, they were offered food frequently during the journey (“every three or four hours”), as well as water and soft drinks.
They were then taken to Palenque, where they were released in a park, their belongings were returned, and he was able to charge his phone and call his family. From there, he bought a bus ticket to Cancún for 8:50 p.m.
On the way to Cancún, he recounted that at the first checkpoint, an officer asked for documents. When they didn’t have them, several Cubans were made to get off the bus, their photos were taken, and any available documents or passport photos were checked, after which they were allowed to continue.
He said that something similar happened at another checkpoint further down the road, and that in general, the treatment was correct. Finally, he confirmed that he arrived in Cancún without incident and described it as a “very beautiful” city.
The Cuban man noted that with this safe-conduct pass, one can travel through “all of southern Mexico,” but not north, and mentioned that he was told how to begin his legal process with COMAR, the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance.
He also offered to advise other people about hotels or hostels, although he clarified that he could not receive anyone at his place of residence.
Source: cibercuba
