For Heidy Sánchez, an April morning at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Florida began like so many others: with hope for resolution and a young daughter in her arms. But within hours, her family’s life changed forever.

Sánchez, a Cuban national who had been living in Tampa with her husband, Carlos Valle, and their 17-month-old daughter, Kailyn, both U.S. citizens, was detained at her scheduled ICE check-in. Days later, she was deported to her native Cuba. She has not seen her husband or daughter in person since.

Now, as the Valle family navigates daily life separated by more than 400 miles of ocean, their story is shining a spotlight on the human cost of America’s evolving immigration policies—and the complex realities faced by families caught in the system.

A Family Divided

“It was the last time she saw her husband or their daughter in person,” says Claudia Cañizares, Sánchez’s attorney. “She brought Kailyn with her to the ICE appointment, not knowing it would be goodbye.”

Sánchez, 44, has no criminal record in either the U.S. or Cuba, according to her legal team. Her immigration journey began in 2019, when she fled Cuba and sought asylum in the United States. Like many, she was subject to the “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring asylum-seekers to wait outside the U.S. for their hearings. After missing a scheduled court date, she learned that a removal order had been issued against her.

Following months of detention and legal appeals, Sánchez was released on an order of supervision, allowing her to live with her family in Tampa while checking in with ICE annually. She built a life in Florida, working as a home health aide, studying to become a nursing assistant, and, after multiple rounds of IVF, welcoming Kailyn in November 2023.

“I Want to Take My Daughter”

On the day of her April appointment, Sánchez was accompanied by her daughter, her husband, and another attorney from Cañizares’ firm. But only Sánchez and the attorney were allowed into the meeting. According to Cañizares, ICE agents informed Sánchez she was being taken into custody and instructed her to hand Kailyn over to relatives.

“She told them, ‘I want to take my daughter,’ and they said, ‘No, your daughter is a U.S. citizen. She has to stay,’” Cañizares recounts. “They told the attorney, ‘You need to take the baby outside to the dad.’”

ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration has stated that deported parents are given the option to bring their children with them, but Sánchez’s attorney maintains that was not the case for her client.

A Daughter’s Trauma, A Mother’s Heartbreak

Kailyn, who was still breastfeeding and had recently begun experiencing seizures, remains in Tampa with her father. The separation has been “traumatic,” Cañizares says.

“Heidy speaks to Kailyn every day when the internet works in Cuba, but power outages are frequent,” she adds. “It’s incredibly hard on both of them.”

Carlos Valle, a naturalized U.S. citizen also originally from Cuba, is now raising their daughter alone while fighting to reunite the family. “We’re doing everything we can,” he says. “Kailyn needs her mom.”

A Complicated Legal Path

Sánchez’s legal status is emblematic of the labyrinthine U.S. immigration system. After her initial asylum claim was derailed by a missed court date, she spent nine months in detention before being released when Cuba refused to accept her return. Her order of supervision allowed her to remain in the U.S. temporarily, but it was always a precarious existence.

Cañizares says the family is now seeking humanitarian parole or an immigrant visa for Sánchez, either of which could allow her to return. The process, however, is lengthy and uncertain.

Immigration Policy Under Scrutiny

Sánchez’s deportation comes amid a renewed federal crackdown on immigration, a central campaign pledge of President Donald Trump. While the administration has emphasized targeting individuals with criminal backgrounds, advocates and data suggest a broader range of people—including those with no criminal convictions—are being affected.

“Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them,” President Trump wrote on social media last month, acknowledging the impact on various communities.

Polling shows Americans remain divided on immigration policy, with many supporting law enforcement efforts while also expressing concern for family unity and humanitarian considerations.

Community Support and Political Advocacy

The Valle family’s case has drawn attention from local leaders. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Democrat representing Tampa, has urged the White House to grant Sánchez humanitarian parole, citing the “suffocating oppression in Cuba and lack of essentials like food and clean water.”

“Ms. Sánchez should not be trafficked to a country where she will be harmed and suffer,” Castor wrote in a letter to the president.

For now, Sánchez’s days in Cuba are marked by uncertainty and longing. “All I want is to be with my family,” she says. “My daughter needs me, and I need her.”

Looking Ahead

As the Valle family waits for a decision, their story is a reminder of the deeply personal stakes behind national policy debates. For Heidy Sánchez, Carlos Valle, and young Kailyn, the hope is that their voices will be heard—and that their family can one day be whole again.