Alían Méndez Aguilar, a Cuban immigrant, was deported while seeking U.S. citizenship, leaving his wife and children struggling to cope. His wife, Liyian Páez, who had voted for former President Donald Trump believing he would deport only criminals, now feels deeply betrayed by the outcome.
Aguilar came to the United States from Cuba in 2019. Although a deportation order was issued against him in 2020, he remained in the country because Cuban authorities refused to accept his return. After spending 90 days in detention, Aguilar was released under supervision, according to reports by CiberCuba.
During his time in the U.S., Aguilar married Páez, a Cuban American. Together, they raised Páez’s paraplegic son and welcomed a daughter while living in North Miami, Florida. But their lives took a heartbreaking turn in April when Aguilar was detained during an immigration meeting as part of his citizenship process.
Cuban mother and Republican voter feels “betrayed" by Trump after her husband is deported (in an Inter Miami CF jersey) — leaving her alone to care for paraplegic son and 3-year-old daughter, and struggling to keep her job without husband's primary household income… pic.twitter.com/0Y1PDoDovw
— Because Miami (@BecauseMiami) May 11, 2025
Páez described the moment she learned of her husband’s detention. “The lawyer hands me a yellow envelope with his belongings, and I’m like, ‘What’s going on? Where’s my husband?’” she told Univision. “She told me he had been detained.”
The couple’s story gained wider attention when Páez posted about her situation, highlighting the strain she now faces caring for their children alone while trying to maintain her job without Aguilar’s income. She is actively reaching out to senators and members of Congress, seeking assistance to bring her husband back, though legal experts warn the process could take anywhere from five to ten years.
Aguilar spoke about the harsh realities of his deportation journey in an interview with Univision, which circulated as a video on X (formerly Twitter). He was transferred between three detention centers located in Krome, Florida, Eloy, Arizona, and Alexandria, Louisiana before finally being flown back to Cuba.
He described the conditions in detention, saying, “You’re cuffed at the feet, waist, and hands.” Aguilar called the deportation process “awful,” underscoring the physical and emotional toll it took.
Páez expressed deep frustration, especially given her earlier support for Trump, who had promised to focus deportations on criminals. “She feels betrayed,” the couple’s story has resonated with many who see the harsh realities faced by families caught in the immigration system.
As Páez struggles to care for their paraplegic son and young daughter, the family’s future remains uncertain. The emotional and financial hardship caused by Aguilar’s deportation serves as a poignant example of the human cost behind the immigration policies that continue to affect countless families across the country.
1 comment
She got what she voted for.