8 Cuban migrants land in Keys, ‘free’ to stay

8 Cuban migrants land in Keys, 'free' to stay

The men came ashore near mile marker 90 in Tavernier
"They were all happy and smiling"
BY DAVID GOODHUE
KeysInfoNet

Eight Cuban migrants landed on the ocean side of Tavernier on Wednesday
morning, part of wave of immigration coming from the island nation since
the U.S. and Cuban governments strengthened ties in 2014.

The men came ashore near mile marker 90 around 8 a.m., said Agent Frank
Miller, a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman. They arrived offshore in a
green, makeshift vessel. It's not clear if they traversed the Florida
Straits in the vessel or if they had help from smugglers in a more
seaworthy vessel.

They said they left Cuba on Feb. 29, Miller said.

Marlene Hodgdon and her husband Steve were walking their dog on Bee
Street off the Old Highway when they saw two Monroe County Sheriff's
Office deputies and Border Patrol agents with the men. She said they
seemed relieved to have arrived.

"They were all happy and smiling," Hodgdon said. "They were wearing
American flag shirts. They looked like they were happy as can be."

In keeping with the United States' so-called wet-foot, dry-foot policy
regarding Cuban migrants, the men will likely be able to stay in the
country since they set foot on dry land. They can apply for permanent
residence within the year.

"My husband asked one of the Border Patrol agents if they were free. He
said, 'Yep, they're free.'"

The thawing of tensions between the U.S. government and Cuba's communist
Castro regime has Cuban residents worried their automatic refugee status
is at risk. If the two governments are no longer at loggerheads, there's
less reason to treat Cuban migrants more favorably than those leaving
other nations illegally.

Fear that the policy could change has caused a spike in Cubans trying to
enter the United States. According to the Border Patrol, 43,159 Cubans
entered the States by sea or land through Mexico in fiscal year 2015. By
contrast, in fiscal year 2011, 7,759 Cubans migrated to the United
States, according to the Pew Research Center.

The trend continues. In February, 269 Cuban migrants attempted to reach
U.S. shores, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Since Oct. 1, the Coast Guard 7th District estimates that 2,264 Cubans
have attempted to illegally migrate via the sea. These numbers represent
the total number of at-sea interdictions, landings and disruptions in
the Florida Straits, the Caribbean and Atlantic.

On Tuesday, the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Isaac Mayo
repatriated 47 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba. The
repatriations are from four separate interdictions at sea in the South
Florida Straits.

Miller, with the Border Patrol, said his agency has seen an increase in
migrants from other countries as well trying to reach U.S. shores.

"It's not just a Cuba thing. This is an international issue we're
dealing with," Miller said. "They're coming from the Bahamas and other
places in the Caribbean."

Source: 8 Cuban migrants land in Keys, 'free' to stay | Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article63608582.html