Thinkstock/iStock(WASHINGTON) — Following increasingly normalized relations with Cuba in recent years, the United States will no longer allow Cubans without visas to automatically stay in the country, the Obama administration announced Thursday.
The so-called “wet foot/dry foot” policy was put in place more than two decades ago. It enabled any Cuban who successfully landed on American soil to receive permanent residency (a “green card”) in the United States.
A statement from the White House said the old policy was “designed for a different era,” and that “Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal, consistent with U.S. law and enforcement priorities.”
“Since I took office, we have put the Cuban-American community at the center of our policies,” President Obama said in the statement. “With this change we will continue to welcome Cubans as we welcome immigrants from other nations, consistent with our laws.”
The change is effective immediately, according to the statement.
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