Cuban Adjustment Act Faces Skepticism

Citizenship may potentially change for Cuban immigrants in America. Legislators have decided to challenge the Cuban Adjustment Act, which may possibly change Cuban citizenship for immigrants trying to come into the United States that would like to gain citizenship.

This law was originally established in 1966, and allowed broader protection for immigrants who fled from Cuba to escape Soviet rule.

This gave Cubans a chance to stay in the United States giving them the rights to claim citizenship primarily on the basis of remaining in the states for at least a year and a day.

The newly elected Cuban-American Republican, Carlos Rubio, is currently in the process of writing a proposal that will stricken the transition process for Cuban immigrants that are trying to claim citizenship in the United States.

Rubio would like to cut down on Cubans entering the United States on terms of economic gain. This possible legislation will make it difficult for Cubans who come to America seeking jobs without protection from the Castro government.

This leaves many students of Cuban descent questioning the land of the free, in which we call America.

"In Cuba we have nothing, and just like every normal person, we want to be able to do great things without being told we can," Carmen V. Fabre-Pedrero, biology pre-medicine student from Havana, Cuba, said. "I believe that the refugee law for Cubans should stay as it is.  Cuba is only meant for tourism not an actual place for people to live free of fear from the government."

"Many Cubans work two to three jobs just to make sure they have food in their homes to feed their families," Fabre-Pedrero, who migrated from Cuba, said. "Living in Cuba is hard politically and economically."

The debate on this possible legislation may still be on the table for legislators, but Juanita Cardwell, Florida A&M University’s Foreign Language Lab Director, says this proposal is unlikely to happen.

Sen. Rubio's proposal appears very biased based on the fact he doesn't identity any logical reason concerning why he would like to stricken the Cuban Adjustment law.

Rubio mentioned that Cubans are coming to America to take jobs. However, there are also other minorities that come to America for the same opportunities.

“I find it very hypocritical of Senator Rubio to target Cubans regarding citizenship, since he came to America to obtain the very same rights," Cardwell said. "Students should remain aware of pending legislation U. S. Senators try to propose, so laws aren't passed that could possibly affect their future."

As the ongoing dispute for immigration continues, the U.S. Customs and Immigrations Department is moving forward with handling immigration in a traditional manner.

“We continue to seek to promote safe, legal and orderly migration from Cuba under our Migration Accords in order to deter dangerous, unlawful migration from Cuba," Carlos Lazo, Public Affairs & Media Division representative for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. “U. S. Customs and Border Protection maintain a robust posture regarding the enforcement of our immigration laws along the nation’s borders and coastal areas.”

The debate over legislation surrounding Cuban immigration and the Cuban Adjustment Act will continue throughout this administration.