The Biden Administration’s decision to gradually increase staffing at the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, and expand consular services is a welcomed step forward. Cubans are privileged among other groups of Latin American migrants because they have a viable migration channel through current U.S. visa policies. However, without a clear timeline to restart and fully regularize consular services, it will continue to add further strain on an already overwhelmed and flawed system, and to push Cubans to follow irregular and dangerous methods of migration.
A Cuban is a Cuban citizen, or a person of Cuban origin. American English: Cuban /kyˈubən/
Background: How Did We Get Here?
Immigration policies have long been a sore point in the U.S.-Cuba relationship.
Since the 1960’s, the United States has maintained a preferential relationship with Cuban citizens and facilitated a direct path to permanent residency. The Cuban Adjustment Act, effective since November 2, 1966, allows Cuban natives or citizens who have been physically present in the United States for at least a year to apply to become lawful permanent residents. This fast-track path to permanent residency—in addition to Cubans wanting to flee the country for political and economic reasons—has led to mass migration of Cubans to the U.S.
After the 1959 Cuban revolution, approximately 1.4 million people fled to the United States, the largest migrant flow in the Caribbean country’s history. Since then, Cubans have remained one of the top populations of migrants to reach the U.S. A number of tragic incidents involving Cubans trying to reach the U.S. by sea led President Clinton to announce that Cubans interdicted at sea would be sent to the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo. It was then that the so-called wet foot/dry foot policy was born, which granted Cubans who reached U.S. soil by foot, the right to stay and get on a fast track to citizenship. On paper, the policy aimed at discouraging people from taking the risky journey by sea. Under an accord signed in September 1994, the United States agreed to legally admit at least 20,000 Cubans—not including immediate relatives of U.S. citizens—per year and Cuba pledged to prevent further irregular departures by rafters.
In 2007, in order to meet immigrant visa requirements under the US-Cuba migration accords, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services launched the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program (CFRP) that allows family members of U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents to travel to the United States without having to wait for their immigrant visas to be granted. Once in the United States, CFRP program beneficiaries may apply for work permits while they wait to apply for lawful permanent resident status under the Cuban Adjustment Act.
Things changed in 2013.
Following the liberalization of rules that had restricted travel out of the island, the number of Cubans trying to reach the U.S. via Mexico and relying on the wet-foot/dry-foot policy increased. But, in the final days of his administration, President Obama abruptly put an end to this policy, a capstone to his two-year-old effort to re-establish relations with Cuba. This led to a sharp increase in Cubans seeking asylum, and deportation cases went from 388 in 2016 to 24,198 in 2019.
The situation took a further downturn in 2017, when under the Trump administration, the U.S. suspended visa processing at the Embassy in Cuba indefinitely and halted all consular services in response to the “Havana Syndrome,” a “mysterious ailment” allegedly affecting embassy staff and their relatives. A preliminary report published by the CIA in February 2022 found that most cases were likely to have been caused by any foreign influence. The Embassy’s closure has continued to be a detriment to the tens of thousands of Cuban immigrants who continue to await their visas to reunite with their families in the U.S.
Toward the end of 2021, the Biden administration reinstated the “Remain in Mexico” policy under court orders, promptly restarting the return of U.S.-bound asylum seekers to Mexico to wait for a resolution of their case in U.S. immigration courts. Throughout 2022, Cubans continue to be among the top nationalities enrolled in the Remain in Mexico program, alongside nationals from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. Because of the difficulties in accessing the U.S. asylum system and in reaching the U.S.-Mexico border as a result of the increased migration enforcement in Mexico, many Cubans are also opting to seek protection in Mexico. In 2021, Mexico’s refugee agency, COMAR, received 8,319 asylum requests from Cubans, up from 5,725 in 2020, and granted asylum in 69 percent of the cases, an increase in approval rates as compared to previous years. As many as 2,004 Cubans requested asylum in Mexico in the first two months of 2022 alone.
The continued migration flows of Cubans, both to the U.S. and Mexico, highlight the need for effective pathways for legal migration. Their unique standing within the U.S. immigration system should be a tool to provide stability and security for those choosing to leave their home country—not an additional barrier to their safety.
Total Cubans Repatriated by the U.S. Coast Guard After Being Intercepted at Sea
Data provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and compiled by WOLA.
Cuban Spanish Most Popular Expressions
FAQ
What does it mean if someone is Cuban?
What makes you a Cuban American?
What is the ethnicity of Cuba?
What are some Cuban values?
What is the difference between Cubanidad and Cubana?
Cubanidad is the whole general condition of being Cuban, Cubaneo is the condition of being Cuban based on the practice of customs and other cultural expressions considered to be Cuban, and Cubanía is the condition of being Cuban based solely of off the personal want to be considered Cuban.
Who are Cubans?
Cubans ( Spanish: Cubanos) are people from Cuba or people with Cuban citizenship. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic, religious and national backgrounds. The population of Cuba was 11,167,325 inhabitants in 2012.
What ethnicity is Cuba?
The majority of Cubans come from Spanish and African descent. In contrast, the segment of the population that is aboriginal is very low (and typically located in Guantanamo). With the addition of Asian descent being common, a large percentage of Cubans are considered mestizo or mulatto (a mix of races). CUBAN CULTURE: What about the language?
What are the characteristics of a Cuban person?
Cubans are among the world’s friendliest and most reliable people. They are willing to speak to anyone and give freely of their time and resources. Cubans are gregarious and welcoming people. They appear to spend a great deal of their time in the company of others and can speak to almost everyone.