Why aren’t the Cuban Adjustment Act and the Wet Foot, Dry Foot Immigration laws being discussed as part of Immigration Reform? After all, they are abused by Cubans on a daily basis and they contain provisions that are not positive for our economy. The Cuban Adjustment Act was meant to give political asylum to those Cubans fleeing communist Cuba due to political persecution. However, many Cubans who have become resident aliens and subsequently U.S. Citizens have actually had the audacity to tell me to my face that they used the Cuban Adjustment Act to remain in the U.S. legally, although they could care less about politics, were never politically persecuted in Cuba, and only came to the U.S. for economic reasons. There are so many abuses that I don’t even know where to begin. Here are just a few: 1) Cubans come directly from Cuba to the U.S. with visiting visas. Once their visas run out, instead of returning to Cuba, they just remain in the U.S. using the Cuban Adjustment Act. In one year, they are resident aliens and could travel to Cuba back and forth, and many do. Then, about five years later, they are eligible to become U.S. Citizens. They are eligible for public assistance of all types. I heard recently that some have homes in Cuba and live over there during most of the year and return to the U.S. for only a short period so they don’t lose their resident status here in the U.S. 2) People of Cuban descent are coming from other countries like Spain, for instance, with a visitor’s visa. They overstay their visa here in the U.S. and use the Cuban Adjustment Act to become legal residents. Although they were already legal residents in Spain and were no longer living in Cuba, they claim political persecution from Cuban authorities. They are eligible for public assistance, too. This is totally insane. The Cuban Adjustment Act has no caps on immigration. The applicant doesn’t need a family-based or employment-based immigrant visa petition. Cubans are not required to enter the U.S. at a port of entry. You’re still eligible to become a resident alien even if you are a public charge. This to me is a slap in the face. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve had some very strong debates concerning this very issue. You see. This abuse is something that hurts me deeply. Not only because I love America and see that this is a shameful abuse of its generosity but because my father was a political prisoner in Cuba. My family and I really came to the U.S. in search of freedom. The sick and twisted thing about the whole situation is that my family didn’t come to the U.S. via the Cuban Adjustment Act, although my dad had been a political prisoner. Instead, my grandmother and other family members who were already U.S. citizens and who had come in the 60s claimed us via a family-based visa. They went through the process, the paperwork, the fees, and the wait. Our family in the U.S. executed an Affidavit of Support in which they became responsible for our maintenance and support so that we would not become a public charge. Our family supported us financially for just a few weeks because soon my dad took on two jobs and my mom went to work long hours in a factory every day. I just wanted to make a point about the irony of the whole Cuban Adjustment Act. It is supposed to benefit Cubans like my family but, in reality, it often benefits Cubans who are just being opportunists and have never cared a bit about dissenting in any way, shape, or form against the Cuban regime. I know that I’m not the only person in Miami who knows about these abuses. I’ve said many times that we need to abolish the Cuban Adjustment Act and the Wet Foot, Dry Foot law but only to be met with scorn from two main groups: those who always supported it for the right reasons like to help true political refugees and those who are just milking it. It’s funny. but I’ve even been called anti-Cuban and Communist. LOL.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:10:43 +0000
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