Difficult situations in many countries have residents searching for any channel in which to find passage to Florida and elsewhere in the United States for refuge. Crossing an ocean or traveling long distances by foot is not uncommon, even when immigrants are unsure that they will be able to stay once they arrive.
The Cuban Adjustment Act has given many citizens of that country the drive to leave their home and come to the United States. This law was predicated on the assumption that most who fled Cuba were political refugees who qualified for asylum. Some routes into the U.S. have become more difficult because of policies in countries such as Nicaragua and Ecuador, even though the elimination of the Cuban exit permit had made these more accessible for some years.
Although legislators continue to push for changes to the Cuban Adjustment Act, some experts believe that it is not likely to occur during the election year. Even so, it may be the threat of possible amendments from a new president’s administration that has prompted a record number of immigrants during the closing quarter of 2015.
The political climate in the United States has a significant effect on who will be allowed across the borders, regardless of whether immigrants are seeking temporary asylum from a dangerous situation at home or U.S. citizenship. A Miami immigration attorney who is familiar with the current status of foreign relations in the United States may be able to provide advice to those who wish to make their home in Florida.
Source: WOKV News, “Cuban migration to US nearly doubles in last quarter of 2015,” Christine Armario, April 1, 2016
