On Monday, April 24, 2023, over 100 Cubans were sent back to the island by plane. According to a statement by a member of Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior, 83 of the 123 individuals were detained at the U.S. and Mexico border while the other 40 arrived by shore. This move by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) marks the first Cuban deportation flight since the pandemic. The reimplementation of deportation flights will address the recent influx of Cuban migrants pushing for the usage of the newly restarted visa processing system.
Cuba and U.S. Relations – 2017 Immigration Deal
The deportation flights were initially established in a 2017 deal with the Obama’s administration, which ended the United States’ “wet-foot/dry foot” policy with Cuba. Under this deal, the U.S. has the right to treat Cuban migrants the same as it treats those from other countries by allowing the removal of any Cuban-born migrants who attempted to enter the country after January 2017 and did not qualify for humanitarian relief.
Contact An Asylum Attorney Today
The United States’ decision to reinforce the Cuban migrant restrictions may put many at risk for deportation. However, there is still hope for Cubans seeking shelter in the U.S. Individuals sponsored by a relative in the U.S. may apply for a visa at the Havana embassy. In some cases, a humanitarian visa may also be justified.
Reeves Immigration Law Group regularly represents individuals and their families in all stages of the immigration process from visa applications to deportation defense. Our team of California immigration attorneys are well versed in immigration and nationality law, allowing them to provide successful outcomes reflective of an individual’s circumstances.
Contact us today to speak with our team of California immigration attorneys on this matter or any similar immigration developments.
