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By Mandy Taheri
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Heydi Sánchez Tejeda, a Cuban immigrant married to a United States citizen with whom she shares a baby daughter, was detained earlier this week and deported to Havana on Thursday on a flight carrying dozens of Cuban migrants, the Miami Herald reported on Saturday.
Her husband, Carlos Yuniel Valle, said in Spanish in an emotional video posted on his Facebook account, "They separated a girl from her mother. They killed a mother, a father, and the future of a girl while she was still alive."
Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek: "Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with someone the parent designates."
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Newsweek has reached out to Valle for comment via Facebook Messenger and filled out an online contact form with Tejeda's attorney.
The Context
Tejeda's deportation comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, during which some people with valid documentation—including green cards or visas—have been detained and face legal jeopardy.
President Donald Trump vowed to prevent illegal immigrants with criminal histories or backgrounds from entering and staying in the U.S. He has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history and has detained and deported thousands of people in recent months, including to their home countries and others to El Salvador for imprisonment.
Others have also been detained after appearing at DHS offices, including Rosmery Alvarado, a Guatemalan immigrant married to a recently naturalized U.S. citizen, Mohsen Mahdawi, a U.S. permanent resident for 10 years who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Colchester, Vermont, during a naturalization interview, and Cliona Ward, who is being held at San Francisco International Airport after delivering requested paperwork.
What To Know
Tejeda, 44, a Cuban immigrant who has been living in the U.S. since 2019, went to a scheduled appointment with ICE in Tampa on Tuesday. There, when she was holding her baby and had to hand her over to her husband, Tejeda was abruptly detained, her husband's social media video details.
"The baby is distressed and does not want to eat," Valle told the Miami Herald. "Imagine, they ripped the child from her mother's arms at the immigration office; the cries of that woman in there could be heard back in Cuba." Valle said their daughter, who was born premature, is still breastfeeding and now is without that food source.
Her legal team filed a stay of removal order to halt the deportation. But on Thursday, she landed in Havana, along with more than 80 others who were deported from the U.S. through Miami. The couple has spoken since she landed in Havana.
Tejeda was living in the U.S. with I-220B, or an "Order of Supervision" after having been detained for nine months when she first arrived. Since then, she married Valle, who is a U.S. citizen who has lived in the country since 2006.
Tejeda's last ICE interview had been six months ago.
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What People Are Saying
Representative Kathy Castor, a Florida Democrat, wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Friday about illegal deportations in Tampa Bay: "Immigration enforcement must be lawful and humane, not weaponized for political stunts. That means investing in smarter border security, expanding legal pathways, and protecting the rights of asylum seekers and immigrant families who contribute so much to our communities. The American people want a system that reflects our values, not one that rips families apart, violates the U.S. Constitution, and runs counter to human rights."
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek: "Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with someone the parent designates. In this case, the parent stated they wanted to be removed without the child and left the child in the care of a safe relative in the United States. We take our responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement to ensure that children are safe and protected.
"The Trump Administration is giving parents in this country illegally the opportunity to self deport and take control of their departure process with the potential ability to return the legal, right way and come back to live the American dream. CBP Home is free and for all mobile devices."
Carina Moran, daughter of recently detained Rosmery Alvarado, told CBS 42 earlier this week: "It feels like she's been stripped away from me, and I feel like I'm never going to see her again. I've been with my mom my entire life. I don't know what it's like to not have her. [I] have to tell my younger brothers that they're not going to get to see their mom. It makes me feel awful to see my dad struggling the way he is."
What Happens Next
It is unclear what will happen next in Tejeda's case, as she is already in Havana, but her legal team says they will continue to fight for her return, potentially through humanitarian parole.
In a Saturday Facebook post written in Spanish, Valle shared a photo of the couple and their daughter, writing: "We miss you my love but faith many people are helping us and with God's grace soon we will be together..."
Update 4/30/25, 11:09 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Tricia McLaughlin.
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