Wet Feet Policy Essay

Thirty-seven years to the date April 20th, 2017, Fidel Castro enacted the policy of the Mariel boatlift, in which he’d allow Cubans seeking to emigrate to the United States to do so by departing at Mariel. This number would eventually eclipse 125,000 people seeking asylum and refuge from Cuba, and the regime in which at one point they felt represented or directly opposed their own viewpoints. The first wave of Cuban exiles being the extremely wealthy, in direct opposition to Fidel Castro’s regime for a race-less society, and a single-class economy, government, and social order. The ultimatum being set at you’re with the revolution or you’re not, this encouraged former supporters of the now ousted Batista, to seek refuge in the United States.

Even though Cuba is a little under 100 miles away from the United States, the relationship between the two countries has created an atmosphere full of tension and perpetual mistrust. When Fidel Castro decided to align Cuba with the U.S.S.R. and become a communist country, the United States of America was stunned and highly insulted. Because of their relationship, both countries have played a back and forth game of trying to outdo the other. This game and state of affairs in Cuba has created a large influx of Cuban immigrants looking for better opportunities and trying to escape poverty and persecution. This paper will be focusing on Cuban immigrants and examining different Cuban immigration laws, which allowed them to easily become United States citizens, including; the Cuban Adjustment Act, The Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1976 and the Wet Foot, Dry Foot Policy. It will also discuss whether the Cuban immigration laws are unfair to other foreign immigrants and whether the laws are relevant today. Finally, we will be considering the future and try to predict how the laws will change with the changing diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States and the imminent removal of the Embargo Act.

This article discusses the history of immigration policies between the United States and Haiti and the consequences of these policies. On September 22, 2016 the Obama administration made the drastic decision to close its doors to Haitian migrants. The administration announced that it would tighten its immigration policy on Haitians, limiting the amount of refugees that would enter. Which was a drastic change from their 2010 immigration policy that open its doors to the Haitian refugees. This new policy affected many migrating Haitian who where just days from their immigration appointments. The article recalls personal experiences about the racism and the dangers Haitians face throughout the journey. Also describing the poor conditions immigrants

In the article, “Why Do We Still Have an Embargo of Cuba?” Patrick Haney explores the history of the embargo and the different factors which have maintained and tightened its restrictions over the past fifty years. The embargo consists of a ban on trade and commercial activity, a ban on travel, a policy on how Cuban exiles can enter the U.S., and media broadcasting to the island. These once-executive orders now codified into law by the Helms-Burton Act, have become a politically charged topic which wins and loses elections, spawned influential interest groups, and powerful political action committees.

The U.S. did not help their situation as they proceed to pressure and prevent other foreign nation from trade with them, resulting in Cuba to remain in isolation. This event not only hurt Cuba economically, but socially as well by depriving innocent people from access to the outside. However, the embargo was not meant to cause harm, instead it symbolizes a probable improvement in human rights. In 2016, the Human Right Watch, reported that Cuba was still, “repress dissent and discourage public criticism," resulting to be the primary reason the U.S. would consider lifting the embargo. The U.S. would like to see the Cuban government improve, in return, they would remove the ban on trade or commercial activities.

To understand current U.S. laws pertaining to Cuban Immigration, one must first understand the origins of this laws and the social history behind these laws. Consequently, in this essay, I trace the origins of the immigration of Cubans from the 1800s to our days and how this immigration influenced the creation of current laws pertaining to Cuban immigration. I have also analyzed the socioeconomic factors that have influenced the immigration of Cubans to the U.S., and the historic events that have shape the U.S. laws pertaining to immigration. For this, I have extensively research the major Cuban Event that, one way or the other, influenced the Cuban Immigration, and promoted changes in the laws pertinent to the Cuban immigration. Some of these

The history of Cuban immigration to the United States is vastly different than that of any other immigrant group. This difference have been codified into law and policy with the purpose of crippling Castro’s communist regime. Many immigrant groups and Americans have viewed the laws and policies as discriminatory as they clearly established preferential treatment, economic and education advantages of one immigrant group over another. After The U.S. government passed the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, exempting Cuban immigrants from many of the provision established by The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 it was not until the “wet-foot, dry-foot policy of 1995 that anything was done by the United States government to normalize the

In order to understand the complex relationship that Cuba has with the United States and the nature of Cuban American immigrant communities that exist in South Florida, it is necessary to first understand the unique circumstances that led to the large influx of Cuban immigrants.

Throughout history, the American government has imposed policies that hurt the poor and vulnerable worldwide. The United States immigration policy makes it difficult for Haitian boat refugees who have stepped on U.S. soil to gain parole or political asylum. United States immigration policy between Haiti and Cuba are comparatively different; wet foot dry foot compared to no foot. Even facing persecution and death, Haitians were forced to return to their land. In Florida, the Haitian-immigration policies have been an essential force behind international and domestic sustainability, and the negotiations to change prejudiced immigration policies have translated into slipshod actions.

Supporters of the legislation believe that prohibiting foreign investment will quicken Castro’s downfall. (Close Up Foundation) Many debate on the issue of why the U.S. should or shouldn’t keep the ebargo against Cuba. These debates deal with the effects of the Embargo on Cuba’s economy, humanitarian rights and health of the people of Cuba. The embargo today places a ban on subsidiary trade, Licensing, shipping and humanitarian aid. (Close Up Foundation) In 1992, the Cuban Democracy act imposed a ban on subsidiary trade with Cuba. This ban restricted Cuba’s ability to import medicines and medical supplies from third country sources. There have also been corporate buy-outs and mergers between U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies thus adding to the number of companies permitted to do business with Cuba. Under the Cuban Democracy Act, The U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments are allowed to license individual sales of medicines and medical supplies, supposedly for humanitarian reasons to make up for the embargo’s impact on health care delivery. According to the U.S. corporate executives, the licensing provisions are so tough as to have had the opposite effect. With this statement, it is assumed that there are fewer licenses given out for humanitarian reason therefore favoring the embargo and aiding in the downfall of health in Cuba. Since 1992, the embargo has prohibited ships from loading or unloading cargo in U.S. ports for 180 days after

On Thursday, September 24, Elaine Diaz Rodriguez spoke about her experiences in Cuba. She talked about the new relationship between Cuba and America. She said on December 17, 2014, President Obama announced that there was going to be a restoration of full diplomatic relations with Cuba. She said the Cubans cried because for the first time in a long time, Cuba came together with another country. She believed the world needed reconciliation. In Cuba, before 2008, Cubans were not allowed to do many things such as go to hotels, have cellphones, or buy computers. Before 2011, Cubans were not allowed to buy or sell their houses or cars. Additionally, before 2013, Cubans needed permission from the government to travel with a passport. Ms. Diaz Rodriguez

While Mexicans and Cubans faced some of the same difficulties when it came to immigration, their considerable differences create enough distinction that Gonzalez was able to craft two wholly distinctive narratives. For instance, after immigrating, both Mexicans and Cubans faced inequalities in social and economic classes (Gonzalez, 109). Yet, the Cubans had clear advantages over the Mexicans. Both were struggling to assimilate to the American culture; however, “the U.S. government provided a shelf full of government assistance programs under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, programs that the Mexicans […] never received” (Gonzalez, 110). The Cubans were given a higher chance of success mostly as a result of the assistance. Though aside from this support, this quote implicitly suggests that the Cubans were more accepted in the United States than the Mexicans. To give aid is to suggest that their presence is not only wanted, but also encouraged and perceived to be long-term. Contrariwise, while there was acceptance at the government level, both Mexicans and Cubans faced problems at the societal level, where simply “the sight of so many new

To begin with, Cuba is still one of the Latin American countries facing repression from political dissent. In 2012 the Cuban government enforced political conformity using a severity of punishments that affected the lives of citizens and other people. During its first review, the government of Cuba denied all recommendations related to the treatment and service of detentions of political prisoners, the lack of protection of human rights defenders, and restrictions on freedom of expression, which in the U.S are determined unconstitutionals.

"We will end an outdated approach that... has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries. Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas" (President Obama, Official Released Statement). On December 17th, 2014 the American embargo on Cuba, which set restrictions on relations with Cuba, was relaxed after over fifty years. The embargo on Cuba set restrictions on relations in areas such as travel and trade. The initial intention of the embargo was to persuade the Cuban government to attain a new form of government; as the United States disagrees with Cuba's communist position

In this article, the author Nick mainly addresses the issue of the migration policy between America and Cuba. President Obama recently resumed the diplomatic relations with Cuba, which has led to a surging number of Cuban immigration, especially the illegal immigrants, to the United States, because many Cubans feel afraid that their long-standing immigration privileges as political refugees will no longer exist. Beginning in 1966, the Cuban Adjustment Act and the “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy allows Cubans to stay in the United States if they touch U.S. soil, and offers permanent residency to Cubans one year after arrival in the United States (Nick. “Fear of”. The Washington Post. 2015). Cuban officials adamantly oppose to these policies, blaming that these policies encourage risky illegal migration, and cause a brain drain. However, the truth is that most new generation of Cuban immigrants are not real “refugees” any more; they actually resemble economic migrants, who come to America to work seasonally, and then return home. Most of the new Cubans arrive today also have obtained legal residency in a third country like Spain, which helps them come to America without U.S. visas, and then apply for asylum identified as Cuban. Thus, there is a debate about the purpose of these newer arrivals and some begin to advocate a “re-examination” of the Adjustment Act.