The following quote is from an article on Yahoo News.
"Haitians who illegally make it into the U.S. are generally sent back. Most Cubans who reach U.S. soil are allowed to stay under U.S. policy. Last year, Coast Guard agents patrolling the waters of South Carolina, Florida and the Caribbean stopped 6,061 migrants, 769 of them from Haiti."
Does anyone know why this is the policy? Is it some sort of asylum thing since Cuba is communist?
I'm asking out of curiosity
2007-03-28 04:52:55 · 15 answers · asked by Tiff 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
BTW - I'm not saying this is fair or unfair or they should all be sent back or all shouldn't be... I'm not trying to make a statement at all really, I'm just trying to understand why this is the current policy.
If I figure out why this is the policy, THEN I'll form an opinion.
2007-03-28 05:09:45 · update #1
It appears that Cubans by immigration policy- even if undocumented have an easier time of seeking asylum here in the States than Haitians.
I have posted some links below- that may help you understand a little bit about the immigration policy regarding Cubans.
It is called the wet feet-dry feet policy.
If a Cuban makes it to land and can prove the need for asylum
(mostly all that is needed is that they made it to America) they can stay. However if they have wet feet ( still in the water) they get sent back home.
Haitians appear just to be not as generally welcome for whatever reason. And have an immigration policy that is dissimilar to Cuba's policy.
2007-03-28 05:56:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cuba is a communist country. Anyone who can reach US soil from a communist country can claim political asylum. Its that simple.
Haiti is not a communist state but usually a dictatorship of some sort. Many Haitians do get to stay in the US if they can show that returning to Haiti would be harmful to them.
2007-03-28 05:13:14 · answer #2 · answered by Yahoo 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Yes it is a policy of the US to do this with the Cubans. the Cubans who land here on land are considered "Political Refugees" and therefore are immediately entitled to stay here. the same is true with the "Russian Jews". they can come here and immediately receive "Political Refugee Status and then the both groups are entitled to every sort of social Service available such as Housing Food Stamps Welfare if necessary job placement etc. The Haitians unfortunately are not classified as such so therefore they can be refused entry into the United States and be sent back home.
2007-03-28 05:17:26 · answer #3 · answered by eimittaa 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Cubans ahve a unique status since the US Government wants to embarrass the Castro government. That's why they're all allowed to stay. This policy should be ended, as well as the trade embargo, but the Miami Mafia has a veto power over US policy regarding Cuba.
2007-03-28 05:12:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
No one really knows why this is such, but onw can wonder if the color of one's skin is the issue. Sure, the fact that Cuba is a communist country is probably the reason that their people are allowed to stay, but isnt this policy kinda played out?
2007-03-28 10:19:10 · answer #5 · answered by Terry H 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There should be fairness in immigration policies. Any Illegal should be sent back! We cannot absorb everybody running from dictators! Political Assylum is one thing Illegal Immigration is another! Hatians are suffering at the hands of a dictatorial government too! They should work to make change in their own countries. Most do not want to assimilate into American culture, according to La Raza! In some places in Florida, Cubans will not speak to you or wait on you. So much for being grateful to Americans who have generously let them in.
2007-03-28 05:01:54 · answer #6 · answered by ShadowCat 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
It has everything to do with Cuba being communist. US politicians and lawmakers are still blinded by the belief that communism is evil and anyone escaping it must be guaranteed political asylum.
The US has a notorious history of supporting right-wing dictators such as Pinochet and going so far as to oust left-wing democratically elected leaders such as Salvador Allende just because of their socialist tendencies. The saying goes "He´s a son of a b*tch but at least he´s OUR son of a b*tch".
I don´t support communism but I don´t believe it is the evil regime many people make it out to be. The people of the USSR were brainwashed into believing democracy was evil just as we were communism. I say just leave the communist countries alone and they´ll leave us alone.
2007-03-28 05:17:37 · answer #7 · answered by Double 709 5 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Don't you just HATE how every time the issue of immigration is mentioned it ALWAYS degenerates into an argument about RACE? They are two different issues!!
Haitians escape to the U.S. for economic reasons, just like illegal immigrants from Mexico. It is illegal and breaking of our laws makes them criminals.
Cuban refuges are considered to be POLITICAL REFUGES, not illegal immigrants, and therefore are not breaking the law. They are not criminals, so they can stay.
I'm not going to get into the right-wrong issue, it is a matter of law.
2007-03-28 05:23:54 · answer #8 · answered by Philip H 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
immigrants coming from communist cuba have historically been given more help and can receive asylum easily, while those coming from right wing latin american dictatorships and other countries have had more problems. maybe because many of the right wing dictators had been helped by the cia to obtain power.
2007-03-28 05:06:11 · answer #9 · answered by maroc 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The US probably wants Cuba to collapse. They are willing to take the Cubans to help them lose taxpayers.
According to my text, Cubans are the Latin group with the highest levels of education as well.
2007-03-28 05:08:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋