The coronavirus pandemic and tightening US sanctions under former President Donald Trump have exacerbated this crisis and contributed to calls for people to leave the island.
From Nicaragua, many Cubans head north to the US-Mexico border, where they attempt to cross the border illegally or seek asylum.
HOW DOES THIS EXODUS COMPARE TO PREVIOUS WAVES OF MIGRATION?
Nearly 80,000 Cubans have been detained at the US-Mexico border in the six months since October 2021. More than 32,000 were arrested in March, nearly doubling the previous month, according to statistics from the US Customs and Protection Agency.
If this rate is maintained, the current migration driven by Nicaragua would exceed that of the Mariel Exodus of 1980, when Castro opened Cuba’s ports to US ships and an estimated 125,000 people left the island.
Data from the United States Coast Guard shows that increasing numbers of migrants are leaving Cuba by sea in boats and rafts, although the number is still far fewer than through Nicaragua.
HOW DID THE UNITED STATES RESPONSE TO THE ARRIVAL OF SO MANY CUBANS?
The United States has long accorded preferential treatment to Cuban immigrants arriving at its border, a holdover from Cold War-era policies when Cuba was closely allied with the Soviet Union.
Even today, few Cubans are turned back when crossing the border into Mexico, US statistics show.
However, the Joe Biden administration recently said it is working with regional allies to stem the growing number of migrants arriving at its southern border, including Cubans.
Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Panama have recently introduced or announced measures requiring “transit visas” for Cubans passing through their airports en route to Nicaragua, outraging Cubans whose travel plans have been thwarted.
ARE THERE US-CUBA AGREEMENTS GOVERNING IMMIGRATION POLICY?
Yes, 1984, 1994 and 1995 and 2017. These agreements are still in effect but were amended during Barack Obama’s presidency in January 2017. This agreement obliges the United States to “guarantee legal migration from the Republic of Cuba with a minimum of 20,000 people per year.
Washington, which reduced staffing at the embassy in Havana after unexplained health incidents in 2017, has since fallen well short of that commitment but has promised to expedite visa processing for Cubans and resume some consular services in May.
The same 2017 agreement obliges Cuba to “take back all Cuban nationals (…) who are discovered (…) attempting to enter that country illegally or to be there in violation of U.S. law.”
Cuba has not accepted the deportation of Cuban nationals via charter or commercial flights from the United States for at least six months, a US government source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
ARE BOTH PARTIES WORKING TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS?
Both countries welcomed the high-level talks on migration that took place in April, although they failed to reach a firm agreement.
A US official called the talks “the beginning of a good dialogue,” while Cuba’s foreign minister said they were “certainly a positive sign.”