Despite the uncertainty following the cancellation of hundreds of travel permits due to alleged fraud, several Cubans benefiting from the humanitarian parole program managed to board their flights to the United States from various airports on the island.
The Telemundo 51 channel confirmed at the terminal of Miami International Airport that many Cubans managed to enter the country with their active travel permits.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that some travel permits had been revoked as part of its review of the program and the detection of fraud in thousands of applications; however, the cases are still being processed.
José Ignacio, one of the passengers who managed to board, said that the day before, upon arriving at Santiago de Cuba airport, they were not allowed to get on the plane because their permits had been canceled; but the next day they were able to fly.
"I arrived at the Santiago airport and they prohibited us from traveling. Imagine the frustration of those of us who were there, about to fulfill our dreams," José Ignacio recounted.
But while dozens of migrants with travel permits managed to arrive in the United States, others found that their permits had been unexpectedly canceled.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a temporary suspension of travel permit issuance for beneficiaries of Humanitarian Parole while cases of fraud were being investigated.
However, there was no information regarding the impossibility of flying for those who already had valid permits.
"People with approved authorizations can travel," DHS clarified to Telemundo 51.
The Humanitarian Parole program was initially designed for Venezuelans in October 2022, and later expanded to include Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Cubans in January 2023, as a strategy of the Biden administration to address the crisis at the southern border.
Until the end of June, more than 100,000 Cuban citizens had traveled to the U.S. under this program, according to official figures.
What do you think?
COMMENTArchived in: