Cuba has announced its commitment to continue receiving deportation flights from the United States, referencing a prior accord made with the Obama administration in 2017, despite the U.S. State Department stating there are no current plans for migration discussions between the two nations.
The ongoing political climate, characterized by President Donald Trump’s intensified crackdown on immigration, raises questions about the administration’s approach to larger-scale repatriations of undocumented Cubans.
A spokesperson from the State Department conveyed in an email to NBC News that the Trump Administration would no longer seek engagement with the Cuban government solely for the sake of dialogue.
The statement added, “We have nothing to preview at this time.”
In response to the U.S. administration’s comments, the Cuban government emphasized its intention to adhere to the 2017 migration accords, which allowed for the case-by-case acceptance of deportations.
Historically, the monthly deportation flights have transported fewer than 100 individuals, a number significantly lower than the mass deportations Trump aims to execute.
To facilitate larger repatriation efforts, negotiations between the two governments would be necessary.
Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossio articulated to NBC News via an email that “bilateral migration talks are not part of the agreements,” but acknowledged they have previously served as a practical means to implement mutually beneficial objectives.
He emphasized Cuba’s willingness to meet with the U.S. to address the migration objectives outlined in their prior agreements, despite ongoing tensions.
Migration discussions between the U.S. and Cuba have a long history, having initiated in the 1990s.
These dialogues were put on hold during both the George W. Bush and the first Trump administrations but resumed in 2022 under President Biden, prompted by a significant influx of Cuban migrants reaching the U.S.
Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed that over 600,000 encounters with Cubans occurred between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, although these figures have since seen a dramatic decline.
As part of changes implemented in 2017, the Obama administration concluded the “wet foot, dry foot” policy, which allowed Cubans who arrived in the U.S. without visas to stay legally and gain residency.
Moreover, the Cuban Medical Parole program, which facilitated fast-tracked visas for Cuban medical professionals defecting while on missions abroad, was also terminated.
In contrast, the Trump administration revoked a Biden-era parole program designed to provide temporary legal status to various migrants from countries including Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Despite some legal challenges, this program had served hundreds of thousands and was said to have allowed over 900,000 individuals to stay in the U.S. until its termination on Trump’s first day in office.
Cuba has long posited that the U.S. has exacerbated its migration challenges through stringent economic sanctions, which undermine the Cuban economy while simultaneously facilitating the pathways for Cubans to attain residency and citizenship in the U.S.
De Cossio reiterated Cuba’s commitment to upholding the 2017 agreements but highlighted that “the strict implementation of the economic blockade remains in place.”
He argued that the U.S. policy is a significant contributor to ongoing Cuban emigration, both legally and illegally, while serving to create a substantial Cuban presence in the United States.
De Cossio stated, “It applies a policy of economic warfare that depresses Cubans’ standard of living and drives them to emigrate.”
He emphasized the paradox of suggesting mass deportations of Cubans in the U.S., individuals who have built lives, jobs, and homes in the country amid U.S. policies that had both aided and protected them.
Official communication between the U.S. and Cuba under the Trump administration has been largely limited to interactions between the embassies and specific governmental departments.
De Cossio noted that Cuba had summoned U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Mike Hammer to express concerns over his diplomatic conduct, particularly his engagement with notable political dissidents on the island—a topic that has historically stirred tensions during the Trump administration.
“Cuba is willing to develop respectful and constructive relations with the United States, regardless of who is president, provided the standards governing relations between sovereign nations are upheld,” de Cossio remarked.
He indicated that the current environment in Washington does not reflect such willingness, likening it to the influence of anti-Cuban factions that refuse to accept Cuba’s sovereignty and self-determination.
Ultimately, de Cossio expressed hope for a potential shift toward a more ‘civilized’ relationship, aiming to resolve what he termed “a long-standing, unjust, and highly asymmetrical conflict.”
Efforts to navigate this complicated relationship continue, with Cuba reaffirming its commitment to its migrants and the realities they face amid the challenging climate dictated by U.S. policies.
image source from：https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/trump-admin-wont-hold-migration-talks-cuba-rcna203035
