Cuban migrants deported to Havana
(CNS): The local immigration authorities confirmed yesterday that another 39 Cuban migrants (35 men and four women) were repatriated this week. The group was flown to Havana on Thursday, which involved a joint effort by staff from customs, the prison and police as well as the immigration department. This leaves 72 Cubans in Grand Cayman who are still going through the repatriation process. Those migrants are now all being held at the Immigration Detention Centre at Fairbanks.
The sudden announcement last week by the outgoing Obama administration that the US was ending its ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy was welcomed by officials here as they believe it may deter Cubans from attempting the treacherous sea crossing to Central America and reduce the number that end up stranded in Cayman waters. The processing, detaining and repatriation of Cubans costs the public purse millions of dollars every year.
The change in US policy, which removes the automatic right for Cubans who reach American soil to remain legally, was a result of the Obama administration’s improved relationship with Cuba and a political rapprochement after fifty years of animosity between the two governments.
But the change in power today in the United States may signal a reversal in the improved relationship between Washington and Havana. While there is little certainty about most of Donald Trump’s policies on any foreign relationships, his comments on Cuba via Twitter have suggested he would reverse Obama’s executive orders and deals signed with the government in Havana.
It may be that the reprieve in the movement of Cuban migrants through local waters could be short-lived.
Category: Local News
how much does all this cost cayman. housing them, feeding. paying them to do work I believe? staffing the place? wow. I could make money here im sure
This is not Cayman and Caymanians. We are now an island and people that capitulate to foreign treaties and request. Where did our grandparents value go. When our forefathers went to other lands to seek opportunities thank God they did not deport them and at least accommodated their dreams after seeing they only wanted a fair wage to support their families back home and sometimes they even took the national home to be their partners. Yes, keep following treaties and forgetting where we really came from, great slope into the Abyss.
They were not deported. Only the Cabinet can deport persons from the islands.
Another great result.
I guess he will reverse president Obama’s executive orders and build a wall. He probably won’t change that though because they will then continue to enter the US.
I always feel sorry for these guys…especially now the T Rump is in…GOP likely to repeal the laws that might have made Cuba a better place over time…you cant force them to change without revolution, but if you show them the way and encourage they may have got there…now they could be reaching back out to Russia…and the last thing you want is them on your doorstep..
Trump may talk Cuba up but behind the scenes the USA stands to make $millions by opening up relations and he can’t afford to let that go.