No relief after fleeing torture
While Yasmany Jorge Borges Alfonso was detained in a Cuban prison, four police officers beat him until he was unconscious. They took turns hitting him in the head with their batons, each blow harder than the last. As Alfonso lay on the rock-hard prison floor, his forehead dripped with blood. The gashes from his assault were so deep, he needed four stiches. He also lost a tooth from the beating.
A practicing Jehovah鈥檚 Witness, Alfonso has religious beliefs that forbid him from using firearms. He is also not allowed to participate in politics of any kind. This did not sit well with the Cuban government. So police interrogated the 26-year-old before arresting, detaining, and nearly killing him.聽
After Alfonso was released from prison, the daughter of his longtime girlfriend was harassed and bullied by classmates and teachers because of the family鈥檚 religious beliefs. Even though he is not the girl鈥檚 biological father, Alfonso thought of her as his own. He didn鈥檛 want her to suffer, nor did he wish to experience another round of torture at the hands of the Cuban police. He didn鈥檛 want to die.
The family鈥檚 persecution had reached its breaking point; it was time to leave the country.
Alfonso, his girlfriend and her daughter flew to Monterrey, Mexico, where they presented themselves at a port of entry. Because they weren鈥檛 legally married, his girlfriend and daughter were released, while Alfonso was sent to Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center. It鈥檚 now been eight months since he left his country, only to be held captive in the U.S. at the immigrant prison.
Alfonso had the documents necessary to be considered for parole. But his request for parole was denied by the New Orleans ICE Field Office, and on Jan. 7, 2019, an immigration judge also denied his request for asylum.聽
As he looked at the judge in court, it was clear to Alfonso that the judge hadn鈥檛 heard 鈥� or believed 鈥� a word he had said about the persecution he faced in Cuba.
鈥淚 felt like a young teenager up there, I was so nervous,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the judge didn鈥檛 even look me in the eye. The judge was dismissive and wasn鈥檛 interested in what I had to say.鈥�
Alfonso felt especially ridiculed when the judge claimed that Cuba was no longer dangerous, before ordering him removed from the U.S.
鈥淥ther judges in other states grant asylum, I know it,鈥� Alfonso said. 鈥淭he judges here don鈥檛 even look you in the face, and they don鈥檛 read your cases. If they had, they would know that Cuba isn鈥檛 safe.鈥�
In the meantime, his girlfriend鈥檚 daughter, 13, lies in a hospital bed after recently being hospitalized due to a chronic heart condition that required she have open-heart surgery at the tender age of five. More than anything, Alfonso wishes to be by her side and provide the emotional and monetary support she needs. His separation from her has been grueling.
But he can鈥檛 be by her side. He鈥檚 a prisoner, and his family is desperate for his release.
Like Rodriguez, Alfonso wonders why Louisiana鈥檚 immigration judges and ICE are denying Cubans their freedom.
His theory is crystal-clear.
鈥淸The judges] don鈥檛 care if you鈥檙e telling the truth,鈥� Alfonso said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just racist and want you out of here.鈥澛�
