By FAIR, Special for USDR
Last week’s announcement that the United States is reestablishing diplomatic relations with Cuba should also trigger a repeal of our outdated immigration policies that afford special immigration privileges to Cuban nationals, says the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).
For more than half a century, the U.S. has maintained policies that treat Cuban migrants differently from citizens of every other nation on earth. “With the reestablishment of full diplomatic relations with Cuba, our outdated Cold War immigration policies with that nation must end,” declared Dan Stein, president of FAIR.
Specifically, the thaw in relations with Cuba must result in President Obama pushing for the repeal of the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, the end of the wet foot/dry foot policy, elimination of the minimum annual allocation of the 20,000 immigration visas for Cubans, termination of the 2007 Cuban Family Reunification Program, and a commitment by Cuba to accept repatriation of criminal aliens who are deported from the United States. “If we are treating Cuba like virtually every other nation on earth in terms of trade, cultural exchanges and diplomacy, then we should also treat Cuban citizens like everyone else when it comes to immigration to the United States,” said Stein.
Under the Cuban Adjustment Act and the wet foot/dry foot policy, Cuban nationals who set foot on American soil, regardless of how they got here, are permitted to remain and adjust their status to permanent legal immigrants after one year. In addition, under a policy established by President Bill Clinton in 1994, Cuba is the only country in the world guaranteed a minimum number of immigration visas to the U.S. each year. Cuba is also among a handful of rogue nations that refuses to allow repatriation of their own citizens who have been convicted of crimes in the United States.
“The special immigration policies we have had for Cubans have never made sense, nor have they achieved any beneficial effect for Cuba or the U.S. For decades, these policies have been driven by domestic political considerations. Now they are completely without justification.”
“Moving forward, Cubans who arrive here illegally or overstay visas should be subject to removal; Cuban nationals who wish to immigrate to the U.S. should apply under the same set of rules that apply to everyone else; and we must expect that the government of Cuba will act in good faith when it comes to accepting the return of criminal aliens. Normalization means normalization,” concluded Stein.
ABOUT FAIR
Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country’s largest immigration reform group. With over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced.
SOURCE FAIR
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