In an attempt to better US relations with the Cuban government, Obama recently ended the "wet foot dry foot" Cuban immigration policy. This policy stated that if a Cuban migrant is not intercepted in the waters between the two countries then they aren't sent back to Cuba. This article is about how the termination of this policy has impacted Cubans who were already en route to the US. Many immigrants are now stranded in shelters in Panama. Returning to Cuba is not an option for most of these immigrants. Some are looking to other Latin American nations (such as Panama) for refuge while others still hope for a way into the US. These immigrants were devastated when they learned that the policy had been ended. Talk of the possible termination of wet foot, dry foot led to an increase in Cuban immigrants in the last 2 years.
This article is from the New York Yimes. I found it interesting that the article included quotes from stranded immigrants so that their perspective was really clear. It was written to convey the challenge these people are now facing that they have no way to the US. Some immigrants already have family waiting for them in the US. The termination of the policy benefits the Cuban government by discouraging illegal emigration, but hurts some of its citizens. Hopefully the stranded immigrants will be able to start new lives where they are now. This situation can be synthesized to the Chinese Exclusion Act in the late 1800s which stopped Chinese immigrants from coming to the US.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/01/13/world/americas/ap-lt-panama-stranded-cubans.html?_r=0
It's sad to hear that from the U.S. canceling the immigration policy, so many people have been left stranded looking for a place to go. Hopefully they'll find a solution!
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