Spare_change
Gold Member
- Jun 27, 2011
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President Barack Obama announced Thursday that he was ending a longstanding immigration policy that allowed any Cuban who made it to U.S. soil to stay and become a legal resident.
In a statement, Obama said the so-called "wet foot, dry foot" policy was "designed for a different era" of U.S.-Cuba relations.
Under the new policy, which takes effect immediately, Cubans who attempt to enter the U.S. illegally without qualifying for humanitarian relief will be sent back to the island.
"By taking this step," Obama said, "we are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries."
Obama added that the Havana government had agreed to accept Cubans ordered to leave the U.S., a concession that was a focus of months of negotiations. A senior administration official told the Associated Press the Cubans gave no assurances about treatment of those sent back to the country, but said political asylum remains an option for those concerned about persecution if they return.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the move "goes a long way to putting our relationship with Cuba on equal terms with our relationships with other neighbors."
Obama is using an administrative rule change to end the policy. President-elect Donald Trump could undo that rule after he is sworn in next week. He has criticized Obama's moves to improve relations with Cuba. But ending a policy that has allowed hundreds of thousands of people to come to the United States without a visa also aligns with Trump's commitment to tough immigration policies.
Obama announces end to 'wet foot, dry foot' policy for Cuban refugees
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The real loser?? Marco Rubio.
Rubio was positioning himself as the tiebreaker for the Tillerson nomination. It would have put him in a position of great influence on Trump's foreign policy.
Now, Rubio's only hope to get the Cuban refugee policy change overturned rests with Trump. If he screws Trump on the Tillerson nomination, Rubio's Cuban constituency can forget about seeing their relatives.
In order to protect his constituency, Rubio is going to have to fall in line on Tillerson, or risk becoming persona non grata in the Trump White House on all foreign policy issues.
Tillerson should call Obama and thank him.
In a statement, Obama said the so-called "wet foot, dry foot" policy was "designed for a different era" of U.S.-Cuba relations.
Under the new policy, which takes effect immediately, Cubans who attempt to enter the U.S. illegally without qualifying for humanitarian relief will be sent back to the island.
"By taking this step," Obama said, "we are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries."
Obama added that the Havana government had agreed to accept Cubans ordered to leave the U.S., a concession that was a focus of months of negotiations. A senior administration official told the Associated Press the Cubans gave no assurances about treatment of those sent back to the country, but said political asylum remains an option for those concerned about persecution if they return.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the move "goes a long way to putting our relationship with Cuba on equal terms with our relationships with other neighbors."
Obama is using an administrative rule change to end the policy. President-elect Donald Trump could undo that rule after he is sworn in next week. He has criticized Obama's moves to improve relations with Cuba. But ending a policy that has allowed hundreds of thousands of people to come to the United States without a visa also aligns with Trump's commitment to tough immigration policies.
Obama announces end to 'wet foot, dry foot' policy for Cuban refugees
-------------------------------------------------------------
The real loser?? Marco Rubio.
Rubio was positioning himself as the tiebreaker for the Tillerson nomination. It would have put him in a position of great influence on Trump's foreign policy.
Now, Rubio's only hope to get the Cuban refugee policy change overturned rests with Trump. If he screws Trump on the Tillerson nomination, Rubio's Cuban constituency can forget about seeing their relatives.
In order to protect his constituency, Rubio is going to have to fall in line on Tillerson, or risk becoming persona non grata in the Trump White House on all foreign policy issues.
Tillerson should call Obama and thank him.
