Immigration Attorney for the Cuban Community
Cuba is personal to me. A Cuban family helped put me through college and law school, and I've been to the island four times. For years, our firm has taken on cases for Cubans whose records made other lawyers say no. Let us look at your case.
Schedule Your Case Review · Call (656) 236-0205
Se Habla Español
SuperLawyers Rising Stars 2017–2020
Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
AILA Member
Federal Court Admitted
Crimmigration Focus
Why Cuba Matters to Me
Long before I was an immigration attorney, a Cuban family opened a door for me. They believed in me and helped make my college and law school education possible. I have never forgotten it — and I have been back to Cuba four times to stay close to the people and the culture that shaped who I am.
"When I represent a Cuban client, I'm not just taking a case. I'm paying back a debt I've carried my whole career."
That's why our firm takes on the Cuban cases other lawyers turn away — the ones with old drug convictions, detention, or a removal file already open. Our practice focuses on the Cuban Adjustment Act and on the criminal issues that can get in its way.
The Cuban Adjustment Act + a Criminal Record
The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 is one of the most generous paths in U.S. immigration law: many Cubans can apply for a green card after one year of physical presence in the United States. But there's a catch — you still have to be admissible, and a drug conviction is one of the fastest ways to become inadmissible.
That's where careful legal work matters. A conviction that looks fatal on paper is not always the end of the road: the exact statute, the court record, and how the plea was taken can all make a difference. We look at whether a state drug conviction even counts under federal immigration law, work to vacate improper guilty pleas, and pursue the narrow waivers that still exist.
At American Dream Law Office®, this crossroads of criminal and immigration law — crimmigration — is what we do every day.
Released With an I-220A?
Form I-220A is an Order of Release on Recognizance. ICE issues it when it releases someone from custody while their immigration court case goes on. It usually comes with conditions: reporting to ICE when told to, keeping your address up to date, and going to every hearing. Many Cubans who crossed the southern border in recent years were released with an I-220A instead of a parole document.
To adjust status under the Cuban Adjustment Act, you generally must have been "inspected and admitted or paroled" into the United States. In Matter of Cabrera-Fernandez, 28 I&N Dec. 747 (BIA 2023), the Board of Immigration Appeals held that release under section 236 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the kind of release an I-220A records) is not the same as parole under section 212(d)(5). In the Board's view, an I-220A release on its own does not meet that requirement.
That isn't the end of the analysis. Lawsuits over I-220A releases are pending in federal court, and the law in this area keeps changing. Your options also depend on the rest of your history: how and when you entered, any other documents you received afterward, and where your immigration court case stands. An I-220A doesn't mean you have no options, and it doesn't mean you qualify. It means your papers need a careful review before you file anything, because a filing based on the wrong assumption can create new problems.
Bring your I-220A, any other papers you received at the border or from ICE, and every notice from the immigration court.
How We Help Cuban Clients
Every Cuban case is different. Here are the most common ones we take on — and how we approach them.
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One year of presence in the U.S. can be enough. We confirm your eligibility, prepare your I-485, and guide you through every step to your interview.
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A controlled-substance conviction is the biggest obstacle to a Cuban green card, and it's the kind of case our crimmigration practice focuses on. We work on every front the law allows.
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If you weren't properly warned about the immigration consequences of your plea, that conviction may be vacated — which can reopen your path.
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Released on an I-220A instead of parole? Whether you can adjust is an open legal fight. We review your documents and your options under the current law (see above).
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If ICE has detained you or a family member, we move quickly to request a bond hearing where the law allows one.
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Already in immigration court or facing a removal order? We defend Cubans at the trial level, at the Board of Immigration Appeals, and in federal court.
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Certain grounds — including some criminal issues — can be waived. We identify whether a §212(h) or other waiver can open your case back up.
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Bring family members from Cuba and apply for a work permit (EAD) so you can work legally while your green card application is in process.
Our Process
We review how and when you entered, your presence in the U.S., and any criminal record — then go over every path to a green card with you, in Spanish or English.
If a conviction is in the way, we take it on: whether it counts under immigration law, post-conviction relief, or a waiver.
We prepare and file your Cuban Adjustment Act application (and work permit) and answer every request from immigration officials.
If you're detained or in removal proceedings, we represent you through bond, immigration court, and appeals — all the way to federal court.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 lets many Cuban nationals apply for a green card after being physically present in the U.S. for at least one year, without the usual family- or employment-based wait. You generally must have been inspected and admitted or paroled, be admissible (or eligible for a waiver), and meet the one-year presence requirement. We review your entry documents and record to see whether you qualify.
Possibly. A drug conviction can make you inadmissible and block the green card the Act would otherwise allow, but it is not always the end of the road. We look at whether the conviction actually counts as a controlled-substance offense under federal immigration law, whether the plea can be vacated through post-conviction relief, and whether a narrow waiver applies.
The Board of Immigration Appeals has said that an I-220A release, by itself, is not parole for this purpose, and that question is being fought in federal court. Don't assume either way. Bring your documents so we can review your options under the law as it stands when you call.
Call us at (656) 236-0205. First, find your family member in the ICE Online Detainee Locator. Then ask whether a bond hearing before an immigration judge is possible. Many people can be released while their case goes on, and an attorney can prepare and present the bond case.
Yes. Our team serves clients in English, Spanish, and Arabic, so you always have someone who can explain every step of your case in your own language. Lea esta página en español.
The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Immigration law changes frequently and every case turns on its own facts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contacting American Dream Law Office® does not create an attorney-client relationship until a written agreement is signed.
If you're Cuban and worried a conviction, an I-220A, or a detention closed the door — let us be the ones to check. Schedule a case review with Attorney Ahmad Yakzan.
Schedule Your Case Review · Call (656) 236-0205
Se habla español · We serve Cuban families across Florida from our offices at 10936 N 56th St, Suite 201, Temple Terrace, FL 33617, and 1060 Woodcock Road, Orlando, FL 32803.
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