MIAMI, United States. – The immigration advisory business has flourished in Cuba since the implementation of the program of parole humanitarian launched by the administration of the president of the United States, Joe Biden, last January, reveals a report by the journalist Carla Colomé published this Saturday in The New Herald.
The “advisors,” as these Cubans are popularly known, help potential emigrants navigate the United States’ online immigration system, which is difficult for many of the beneficiaries of the immigration program. parole.
Eliane Cabrera, one of the pioneers of this new business in the province of Ciego de Ávila, launched into this work in January 2023 after realizing the misinformation and mistakes made by those seeking to emigrate. in conversation with The New Herald, stated: “My work began in January, from the moment I saw people so misinformed and making multiple mistakes. I created a home office so I could serve everyone.”
These advisers help their clients create email accounts, accounts in the My USCIS online service, and the CBP One mobile app. They are also dedicated to detecting and correcting errors in applications made by the sponsor on Form I-134A, passport scanning and case tracking.
The new “business” flourished after the United States Government implemented the measure aimed at reducing the flow of migrants across the border, offering 30,000 monthly quotas to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.
Jorge Carlos Rodríguez Orue, another “advisor”, told The New Herald: “They contact me more than anything because they are afraid of making a mistake and they may lose the opportunity to obtain the parole humanitarian. A minimal error can put everything at stake”.
Despite being a business without an official legal framework in Cuba, these advisers have found a way to promote their services on social networks, offering their advice on platforms such as Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp. Although rates vary, Eliane Cabrera charges 3,000 Cuban pesos per person, a price that she says is the “fairest possible.”
Despite criticism for charging for a service that the official USCIS website stresses is free, many Cubans without sufficient internet access or technological knowledge benefit from the services of “advisors.”
Meanwhile, those who have made use of these emerging figures on the Cuban scene seem to be satisfied. Yadira Almarales Reina, beneficiary of the parole humanitarian, told El Nuevo Herald that Rodríguez’s help was essential for his process.
But this new industry is not without risk. Many have warned about possible scams since the parole humanitarian service became an escape route for thousands of Cubans. In fact, lawyer Ismael Labrador, from the Gallardo Law Firm in Miami, affirms that many of these scams have also taken place from the United States, with public notaries giving legal advice and filling out forms, something that is illegal.
Despite the difficulties, the immigration advisory business continues to prosper in Cuba, a reflection of the migratory wave driven by the economic, political and social crisis of the Island.
