A ten-year-old Cuban lady was making ready to affix her mom in Miami. Then Trump’s journey ban took impact.

Miami — Ten-year-old Sofia of Havana not too long ago recorded a plea for President Trump, asking him to rethink the partial journey ban he issued for Cuba and several other different international locations earlier this month. 

“President Trump, I ask you to please rethink household reunification for residents,” Sofia says in her video posted to social media. 

Sofia’s mom, Lia Llanes, fled Cuba three years in the past and is now a authorized everlasting resident of the U.S. residing in Miami.

Llanes advised CBS Information she got here to the U.S. with the hope of sooner or later bringing her daughter to affix her. Sofia is at the moment residing along with her grandmother in Havana.

“I got here with the hopes of bringing her as a result of all of the moms who come right here, and the fathers, hope to sooner or later turn out to be residents and have the privilege of bringing our youngsters,” Llanes mentioned. 

That privilege got here within the type of a household reunification visa, which Llanes mentioned Sofia was accredited for. Sofia was awaiting the ultimate step within the visa course of: an interview on the U.S. Embassy in Cuba.

However the interview by no means occurred. On June 5, Mr. Trump signed a proclamation barring vacationers and immigrants from 12 international locations from getting into the U.S., citing U.S. nationwide safety pursuits. It additionally partially restricted entry for nationals from one other seven international locations, together with Cuba, with solely sure exemptions. Beneath the ban, solely U.S. residents can apply to sponsor kinfolk from Cuba, not inexperienced card holders like Llanes.

“It was an enormous blow as a result of she was already accredited, and she or he was making ready, studying English,” Llanes mentioned, including that Sofia was left so devastated by the ban that she went two days with out wanting to talk with anybody.

Sofia spoke briefly this week with CBS Information by cellphone, saying she desires to be along with her mom.

Mr. Trump has argued the ban is critical to maintain the nation protected. The State Division has mentioned one other 36 international locations might be added to the listing because of safety issues.

“It is arduous to handle the expectations of individuals that you just’re representing whenever you your self are attempting to maintain up with all the adjustments which are occurring,” Saman Movaghassi Gonzales, an immigration lawyer in Florida, advised CBS Information.

Gonzales mentioned the adjustments are upending the plans of many households.

“The journey ban goes to be very difficult for people who find themselves in the midst of a course of, as a result of they’ve already invested themselves, time and cash, right into a course of, and now this journey ban goes to fully divert it,” Gonzales mentioned.

Llanes hopes to sooner or later turn out to be a U.S. citizen, a course of she mentioned may take two years. However that might be two extra years away from Sofia if U.S. insurance policies do not change.