Maria Fernandez threatened with deportation

June is “Immigrant Heritage Month.” Throughout the month we will be posting materials relating to immigration and immigrant cultures of NYC.

One hundred years ago today … Maria Fernandez, having arrived from Cuba to live with her husband Jose L. Quintana, was detained at Ellis Island and threatened with deportation. 

As the News reported, the previous day, Quintana, a WWI veteran and US citizen, had left his cigar store at 3539 Broadway, and hastened to the immigration station, hoping that word may have come from the State Department saying the red tape of the passport requirement would be waived in the case of his Cuban bride.” However, the US refused to recognize the couple’s proxy marriage (“UNCLE SAM DEAF TO PROXY BRIDE'S FERVID LOVE PLEA,” Daily News, 1 June, 1922, p. 3.).

Daily News, 1 June, 1922, p. 3

– Jonathan Goldman, Jun 1, 2022

TAGS: immigration, marriage, law, Cuban, Latinx