Cuban Immigration: An Outdated System
that no Longer Serves those Threatened by Persecution
By Adolfo Apolloni
The
U.S. policy of offering a safe haven to Cuban immigration has existed since the
1960s. However the end of the Cold War and our ever evolving relationship with
Cuba brings deeply into question the need for a specialized immigration policy
with Cuba. While Cubans deserve a special place in America’s heart as
individuals suffering under the oppression of Communism, immigrants ought to
have to prove that they are suffering persecution before being allowed into the
U.S.
In
the 1960s and 70s political persecution was a real threat in Cuba and as an
nation aligned against the Warsaw Pact, it was the U.S.’s duty to defend
individuals suffering political persecution in a Communist nation. For that
reason we passed the Cuban Adjustment Act to provide complete protection and
asylum to any Cuban claiming political persecution who touched U.S. soil.
However of the decades, immigrants have evolved from political refugees to
economic refugees who merely come to the U.S. claiming asylum to create a
better economic future while in reality having never suffered persecution or
the threat of persecution in Cuba. In fact after establishing their lives in
the U.S. many of these immigrants regularly commute back to Cuba to visit their
family. Certainly someone under a real threat of political prosecution would be
unable visit Cuba, clearly highlighting the falsehood of these individuals
claim of political asylum.
While
all economic refugees, especially those suffering under a broken Communist
system deserve our sympathy, the reality is that the U.S. cannot support all
the people of the world. We simply can only allow a certain number of
immigrants a year and by allowing an uncontrollable flood of Cubans to enter
the country we have to bar other more deserving individuals of other
nationalities from experiencing the American Dream. In a modern post-Cold War
world, all economic immigrants need to put themselves in the same line so we
can ensure a fair and impartial immigration system.
This
is not to say however that all special immigration privileges for Cubans should
be revoked. Their certainly exist Cuban immigrants that suffer disproportionate
persecution from the oppressive communist Castro Regime and it is our duty as
the defenders of Capitalism and democracy to save these individuals. For this
reason, I propose amending the Cuban Adjustment Act to require that individual
prove that they suffer political persecution or the threat of political
persecution if they want to seek asylum. This would stem the tide of Cuban immigration
and allow us with a manageable Cuban immigration rate to rethink the dangerous
Wet-foot Dry-foot policy.
Under
the current law if a Cuban is intercepted by the Coast Guard before they reach
dry land and never touch U.S. soil, then they can be immediately returned to
Cuba and cannot enter the U.S. This leads to an extraordinarily dangerous
situation where Cubans hurt and maim themselves so they will be airlifted by
the Coast Guard to the main land United States where they will touch U.S. soil
and be able to claim asylum. This artificial line not only is inhumane but
fails to distinguish between worthy and unworthy refugees. An immigrant who
very well could be executed by the Castro regime upon returning home and an
immigrant merely seeking a brighter economic outcome are distinguished merely
by the luck of whether the Coast Guard catches them or not. If however we only
allowed in refugees who could prove persecution, the tide of immigrants would
be slowed enough that we could let in all refugees regardless of their wet or
dry foot status. This reform not only ensure that refugees deserve their status
as asylum seekers but also allows for the elimination of the inhumane and
murderous situation created at sea.
Cuba
and the United States exist in a very different world than we were in in the
1960s. With over 50 years between us and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the policies
of old undoubtedly need to be revisited. While I oppose the warming of
relations with Cuba considering their sanctimonious status as a communist
power, this does not mean every immigrant from their country is more deserving
of a place in the U.S. than the rest of the world’s economic emigres. Today,
the U.S. most reform Cuban immigration to ensure that only those actually I
need of political asylum qualify for automatic entry into the U.S.. Many
immigrants are gaming and exploiting the system and for the sake of fairness
and the livelihoods of Americans, this must end.
Sources:
Posted by Charley, written by Adolfo (Adolfo doesn't have blog access).
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