Change in Cuba policy makes sense
President Barack Obama struck a blow for fairness and this nation’s immigration system by ordering a surprise end to America’s “wet foot/dry foot” policy with Cuba. The policy might have served a limited purpose decades ago, but it atrophied over time into an exercise in political pandering that encouraged Cubans to make the dangerous crossing to enter the United States illegally, taxing the Coast Guard and Florida authorities, souring relations with neighbors and blowing a hole in America’s immigration policy. President-elect Donald Trump should seize upon a change that advances his promise of a stronger border.
The policy’s name reflected the arbitrary nature of its treatment of Cuban refugees. Those caught at sea — “wet foot” — were returned to Cuba, while those fortunate enough to reach U.S. land — “dry foot” — were allowed to remain. Over the years, images of celebrating Cubans rushing the shores of the Florida Keys and Miami became a mainstay in newspapers and on TV. But countless Cubans who lost their lives on makeshift rafts and boats in the Florida Straits never made the public eye. What started as a humanitarian cause became a humanitarian crisis. It was an outdated approach that was not in step with normalizing relations with Cuba.
As a practical matter, “wet foot/dry foot,” put in place by President Bill Clinton in 1995, has outlived its usefulness. Though it enabled many Cubans over the years to escape political repression under Fidel Castro’s communist regime, more recent emigres are using it to pursue a better economic life in America. And thousands took advantage of the policy as U.S.-Cuba relations have improved in recent years. The number of Cubans intercepted or arriving by sea has almost doubled since the two nations broke almost a halfcentury of political isolation by restoring diplomatic ties. Last year, 7,411 Cubans either landed or were caught trying to, up from 4,000 in 2014, according to the Coast Guard. The number arriving by land at the southwest border increased fivefold since 2009. This amounts to a self-created immigration crisis that rewarded Cubans over other refugees who enjoyed no similar benefit for illegally entering the United States.
For Cuba, the move means more citizens will remain to press for reforms at home. That will add pressure on President Raul Castro to build on the small steps the government has taken to liberalize the economy and to open Cuban society to greater exposure to the West. The move doesn’t affect Cubans already here, the 20,000 Cubans the United States has agreed to accept annually through legal migration or the ability of individual Cubans to apply for political asylum.
Trump did not immediately react to the rule change, but as a candidate he questioned the fairness of allowing Cuban refugees who managed to set foot on U.S. soil to gain automatic legal status. “I don’t think that’s fair,” he said. “We have a system now for bringing people into the country.” That simple assessment sums it up. This was an overdue policy change that should continue the path toward normal relations and toward a better life in Cuba.