Obama ties Trump’s hands over Cuba by ending ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy: President adds obstacle to successor’s plans to ‘terminate’ normalization in relationship with communist state
White House released a statement officially announcing the change Thursday
The policy allows Cubans who get to the US by boat to be granted residency
The change will be made after several months of talks between US and Cuba
Scrapping the policy will be one of Barack Obama’s final acts as President
By LIAM QUINN
DAILYMAIL.COM
12 January 2017
One of Barack Obama’s final acts as president will be to end the ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy that granted residency to Cubans who arrived in the US without visas.
The Obama administration announced it is doing away with the immigration policy effective immediately in a statement on Thursday night.
‘Today, the United States is taking important steps forward to normalize relations with Cuba and to bring greater consistency to our immigration policy,’ Obama said in the statement.
‘By taking this step, we are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries.
‘The Cuban government has agreed to accept the return of Cuban nationals who have been ordered removed, just as it has been accepting the return of migrants interdicted at sea.’
The President went on to say: ‘The United States, a land of immigrants, has been enriched by the contributions of Cuban-Americans for more than a century.
‘Sustaining that approach is the best way to ensure that Cubans can enjoy prosperity, pursue reforms, and determine their own destiny.’
The move comes about a week before the President leaves office and is likely the last major change he will make to his overhaul of the US relationship with Cuba.
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