Cuban refugees could be blocked from returning home

[Judi Lynn]

Cuban refugees could be blocked from returning home
By Megan O'Matz and Sally Kestin
Sun Sentinel

▼ Proposed changes to Cuban Adjustment Act would be most significant in half a century

▼ Some members of Congress seeking to curtail frequent travel to Cuba by refugees

▼ Pressure building to reform the Cuban Adjustment Act

The U.S. welcomes thousands of Cubans each year as presumed refugees fleeing political repression, no questions asked. Yet many exploit the special treatment they receive by shuttling back and forth to the island that is allegedly persecuting them..

Now a Miami congressman wants to end that with legislation that would prevent new arrivals from freely traveling back to Cuba until they become U.S. citizens. If adopted, the revisions would pose the most dramatic alterations to the Cuban Adjustment Act in nearly 50 years.

U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, the son of Cuban exiles, is crafting a proposal that would require Cubans seeking entry under the act to attest that they are political refugees. Those who return to the island would face consequences: quite likely the loss of their legal status.

"We are aware of abuses of the Cuban Adjustment Act and are looking to tighten it to assure that only those facing oppression in Cuba can take advantage," Curbelo told the Sun Sentinel in a statement provided by his office.

More:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-congress-cuban-adjustment-act-curbelo-20150510-story.html#page=1

[mwooldri]

1. Sounds perfectly fair to me.

Apart from Cuba, every other immigrant and refugee who does not have permanent resident status (or citizenship) or the proper visa has to apply for parole in order to "go home" temporarily. Keeping an open door for Cubans to come in is okay but if they're fleeing an "oppressive regime" then why should it be easy to return?

Remove the travel restrictions for US citizens, but introduce parole requirements for Cubans who do not have US citizenship or permanent resident status.

[Daniel537]

3. You're misunderstanding the law as it is today.

The Cuban Adjustment Act assumes all Cubans are refugees, which they obviously are not. The correct thing to do would be to abolish the CAA instead of punishing people who are forced to affirm something they are not when they enter the US.

[Sunlei]

2. doesn't make sense. cubans get automatic permanent resident status soon as they set foot on dry USA

what is "wet foot dry foot."?

This is the informal named given to a 1995 agreement under which Cuban migrants seeking passage to the United States who are intercepted at sea ("wet feet&quot are sent back to Cuba or to a third country, while those who make it to U.S. soil ("dry feet&quot are allowed to remain in the United States.

[marble falls]

4. Cubans are "evolving" for the GOP. From democracy loving Republicans to an immigration problem.