He spent decades in the United States, but Ramon Saul Sanchez, the leader of the Democracy Movement, received a letter denying his application for residency in the United States. Not only that, he's being asked to leave the country.
"We just got this letter stating they're denying my residency and that I should leave the country immediately," Sanchez said.
He is a prominent figure in the local Cuban exile community and first sent in his application for residency 14 years ago. He's been in Miami now for more than 50 years.
"To us it is suspicious, that in the midst of this and after so many years, we suddenly get this letter and we're concerned whether they're doing this to try to prevent us from exercising free speech with the flotillas in Cuba," Sanchez said.
NBC 6 spoke with Juan Gomez, an immigration attorney, who is familiar with Sanchez's case. He broke down what the letter means.
"This is just a denial for an application for adjustment. It is nothing more than an administrative decision denying an application that coincidentally was pending for 14 years," Gomez explained.
Sanchez fears he will be deported, but Gomez said that's unlikely, "It does not make sense at all that an anti-Castro activist is denied adjustment coincidentally after what's happening with Cuba."
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Gomez said it would be a long and arduous road for the government to try and deport Sanchez because of the protections in place specifically for Cubans.
Sanchez said his lawyers are ready to fight, if needed, to keep him here.
