The “inadmissible” return to Cuba after the first deportation flight from the US.

First modification: 04/25/2023 – 04:24

One more border that closes. It is the first flight of this type since December 2020 and landed on the island with 123 Cubans deported by the United States at a time when human rights organizations criticize the hardening of the Joe Biden administration’s immigration policy that protects returns in Title 42, a legacy of Donald Trump.

Although it is not new that Washington deports Cubans since, in fact, in recent weeks the United States has returned Cuban rafters more frequently, the sending of a plane to Havana sets a precedent after two years of pause due to the pandemic of the coronavirus

Of the returned migrants, 83 people arrived in the United States through the southern border with Mexico and another 43 were intercepted when they reached the coast of that country in improvised rafts during operations between 2019 and 2022.

Those returned are part of the list of “inadmissible” by Washington, who are people with final orders of expulsion, but without risk of political persecution on the island. The deportation of these Cubans considered “inadmissible” was agreed between both governments in 2017, but the program was interrupted by the pandemic and the cooling of relations after the “thaw” period.

The Cuban Ministry of the Interior stated in a statement that the flight “is the result of bilateral cooperation between Cuba and the United States on migration,” an issue on which both countries have agreements.

Cuba confirmed that they were ready to receive the first flight, but that their frequency has not yet been set. Before the break, Havana received at least two monthly flights with people deported from the United States.

According to the US Customs and Border Protection Office, CBP, in December 2022 more than 44,000 Cubans arrived at its borders, for a total of 313,488 in that entire year.

Cuba has historically told the United States to encourage migration to that country and denounced “privileged treatment” for Cubans who arrive at the United States border and the application of the Cuban Adjustment Act.

Migrant crossings into the United States are reduced

Before the controversial Title 42, this law gave priority to Cubans arriving at the southern border over migrants of other nationalities, but now the outlook is stricter because the application of Title 42 due to the health emergency allows immigration authorities expel asylum seekers.

The activation of Title 42 was a measure promoted by Donald Trump and criticized by the Democrats at the time, but now, the Joe Biden Administration expanded the measure in January 2023 and limited the right to request asylum, especially for Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians and Venezuelans.

The United States began to turn away migrants of those nationalities who crossed its southern border. During the first months of 2023, detentions of migrants at the southern border fell by 96%, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security.

At the same time, the Biden administration opted for a policy to promote regular migration and announced a Humanitarian Parole for these nationalities, granting up to 30,000 visas valid for two years per month for those who enter by plane and have a financial sponsor legally established in USA.

But the Biden Administration is bracing for a new spike in US-Mexico border crossings as Title 42 will end on May 11. Alejandro Mayorkas, the Cuban-American in charge of the US Department of Homeland Security, assured that he will soon give details of the authorities’ response to the situation.

The United States resumed migrant visa processes and other consular services since January in Havana, as part of its attempt to ease pressure on the border with Mexico.

with EFE