Major Developments in U.S.-Cuba Policy
A lot has happened regarding U.S.-Cuba and broader immigration policy this month. From President Trump’s push to expand the detention center at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base to the suspension of the CHNV parole program that provided a legal pathway for thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, these shifts will have serious consequences for migration and human rights in the region writ large.
CEDA is actively monitoring these developments and speaking out:
Press Statement: CEDA Condemns President Trump’s Plan to Expand Detention Center at Guantánamo Bay
Press Statement: CEDA Warns of Chaotic Consequences from Termination of CHNV Parole Program
Our ED, María José Espinosa, was quoted in El País on the re-designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Securing Our Borders,” which, among other things, rescinded the CHNV parole program that afforded Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans a legal pathway to enter the U.S.
The program allowed certain people from these four countries who had a sponsor in the U.S. and who passed a background check to come to the U.S. for a period of two years to live and work lawfully, using a legal mechanism known as "humanitarian parole." The CBP One app, which required applicants to schedule appointments for entry before their arrival at the border, has also been shut down, and scheduled appointments have been canceled.
From the beginning of the program in January 2023 to September 2024, more than 531,000 immigrants used the pathway, including 110,000 Cubans who entered the U.S. as parolees. The CHNV parole program has been a contributing factor in the reduction of irregular crossings at the US-Mexico border. Irregular crossings (between Ports of Entry) by Cubans and Nicaraguans decreased by over 98% within two months of its implementation, though multiple factors likely influenced this decline. It is important to notice that the establishment of this parole program was accompanied by restrictions on asylum access at the U.S.-Mexico border for migrants from these countries.
In October 2024, the Biden Administration announced that they would not renew parole for these groups after two years. However, the Cuban Adjustment Act, which remains in effect as codified law, allows Cubans to apply for permanent residency after residing in the U.S. for one year and one day.
Irregular encounters include encounters that occur between Points of Entry, recorded by Border Patrol Agents. Regular encounters occur at Points of Entry and are recorded by CBP’s Office of Field Operations.
This chart includes regular and irregular encounters – at and between points of entry.
The suspension of the CHNV program has placed conservative lawmakers in Miami, such as Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), in a bind. 73.4% of Rep. Salazar’s constituency identifies as Hispanic, including 273,586 Cubans and 405,392 constituents who identify as “foreign-born.” Many of her constituents entered the U.S. through programs such as CHNV.
In a recent press release, Rep. Salazar refers to CHNV as created on “dubious legal grounds,” while also stating that individuals brought here through this program should “have the ability to see their applications out to rectify their legal status.” In a press release, she announced that she sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, “urging the Department to continue protecting Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians without criminal records and pending cases from deportation.” You can read her full press release here.
A Department of Homeland Security memo, released on January 23, gives ICE the authority to remove migrants admitted to the country through Biden Administration programs such as the CBP One app and CHNV. As reported by NPR, the memo states that ICE should review each migrant's status on a case-by-case basis and directs authorities to consider expedited removal for migrants who have already been in the U.S. for two years under these programs. For migrants who have not yet been in the U.S. for two years, ICE has been instructed to place them in deportation proceedings.
Refugees International reports that “about 5,000 Venezuelan, about 5,000 Nicaraguan, and over 10,000 Haitian paroles will expire each month beginning in early 2025,” which puts thousands at risk for removal if they haven’t applied for or acquired another status. Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans hoping to extend their time in the US legally must apply for asylum, a green card, an Adjustment of Status (AOS), or a visa. Once an asylum application is filed, applicants are generally allowed to remain in the U.S. until their case is adjudicated. Given the significant backlog in immigration courts, which includes 3.6 million cases, this process can take several years.
More in Cuba news:
U.S.-CUBA RELATIONS
Reuters | Trump to prepare facility at Guantánamo for 30,000 migrants
On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to direct the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security to prepare a migrant detention facility at Naval Base Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, with a capacity of up to 30,000 migrants. The existing migrant facility at the U.S. naval base, distinct from the high-security prison for terrorism suspects, has historically been used to detain Haitian and Cuban migrants intercepted at sea.
The International Refugee Assistance Project, IRAP, recently released a report on the conditions in the Migrant Operations Center (GMOC) in Guantánamo Bay, where migrants are forced to endure “prison-like conditions” until a third country agrees to accept them for resettlement. The full IRAP report can be downloaded here.
Trump's border policy advisor, Tom Homan, later clarified that the Administration intends to expand the facility, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) overseeing its operations. The move aligns with broader immigration enforcement measures, including the use of U.S. military planes for deportation flights, the deployment of 1,600 active-duty troops to the U.S. southern border, and a decision allowing ICE to detain migrants at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado. This is only the beginning of the expansion of detention facilities, with CalMatters reporting that ICE officials are looking for space to house migrants in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington, and Oregon.
Agency officials are looking for space to accommodate 850 to 950 people within two hours of its San Francisco regional field offices, a development first reported by CalMatters.
CBS News | Trump reinstates Cuba as State Sponsor of Terrorism
Just a week after President Biden removed Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List (SSOT), Trump reinstated the island to the list.
After the Biden Administration’s announcement, Cuba began releasing prisoners as part of a deal brokered with the help of the Vatican. Since the designation was removed, 150 Cuban prisoners have been released of the promised 553. However, it seems that Cuba has not released any prisoners since January 20. According to AFP, multiple non-governmental organizations have documented 192 releases, including opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer and dissident Félix Navarro. Authorities did not disclose a release timeline or provide a list of names.
AS/COA | Rubio's Remarks on Cuba During His Confirmation Hearing
Sen. Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, was confirmed as Secretary of State on the first day of the second Trump Administration. During his confirmation hearing, he stated, “Cuba is literally collapsing…They are now living on 21-hour rolling blackouts and some days longer, because Marxism doesn't work, because they are corrupt, and because they are inept.” He also communicated his frustration with the Biden Administration’s 2025 decision to lift some economic sanctions on Cuba, reversing 2017 Trump-era policies. In response to a line of questioning regarding Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, Sen. Rubio stated that Cuba is “Without a question” a state sponsor of terrorism, citing its support of groups like FARC and ELN.
U.S. Senate Committee on Finance | Sen. Ron Wyden Re-Introduces Bill to End Cuba Embargo
On January 17, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden introduced S.136, the U.S.-Cuba Trade Act of 2025. This Act would repeal the Helms-Burton and Cuban Democracy Act and normalize trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba. This Act, and others like it, have been introduced in every Congress, even before the Obama Administration. Across the past five Congresses, the bill was most successful in the 115th (2017-2018) when it was introduced in the House by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), garnering 24 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. Full text of the most current version of the bill can be downloaded here.
CUBA FOREIGN RELATIONS
Miami Herald | E-Visa Requirement for Travelers to Cuba
The new E-Visa requirement means that anyone traveling to Cuba will be required to undergo a virtual process to acquire a visa–as opposed to the past requirement of a physical paper visa. This change has been made in order to offer “greater security and efficiency in all stages of the tourist visa process,” as stated by the commercial director of the Cuban Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR), Gihana Galindo. MINTUR has verified that physical visas will be available until June 2025. Travelers with a Cuban passport will not need to apply for a visa.
ACN | South Korea Opens Embassy in Cuba and Appoints an Ambassador
The Embassy of South Korea opened in Havana on January 17. This change comes almost a year after the two countries re-established diplomatic relations. Historically, South Korea and Cuba have not had diplomatic relations since 1959 due to Havana’s friendly relationship with North Korea.
IN CUBA
New Statistics on the Cuban Economy
Cuban economist Pedro Monreal dissected new data from Cuba’s National Office on Statistics and Information (ONEI). He reports that Cuba's official inflation rate slightly decreased in 2024 (24.9%) compared to 2023 (31.4%), but it remains high, challenging the government's narrative of macroeconomic stability. Inflation accelerated in the last four months of 2024, indicating it is still out of control, with some economists believing the official figures underestimate the actual inflation rate. Per Dr. Monreal, food prices are the primary driver of inflation, reflecting Cuba’s severe agricultural crisis. Beyond government measures like price controls and contracts, according to Monreal, the key factor restraining even higher inflation appears to be the widespread normalization of poverty, as wages continue to shrink as a percentage of GDP.