A group of about four to five Cuban men landed on the shores of Hallandale Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, likely passing through parts of Tropical Storm Elsa, …
A group of about four to five Cuban men landed on the shores of Hallandale Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, likely passing through parts of Tropical Storm Elsa, which made landfall in Cuba on Monday. A resident of the city recorded their arrival on what appeared to be a makeshift sailing vessel. The men landed and immediately scampered, likely attempting to avoid arrest and repatriation by the U.S. Coast Guard. Under former President Barack Obama, the U.S. government rescinded the longstanding “wet foot, dry foot” policy, which allowed any Cuban who touches ground on America to stay in the country legally. Now, these individuals have to apply for asylum to stay in America, required to prove a credible threat to their persons by the repressive communist regime. Reports from Florida have not at press time identified the individuals involved or confirmed how many made it to land. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that it had located the vessel they arrived on but did not notify the press of any arrests, suggesting the refugees remain at large. Timeframes for Cuban balseros, or “rafters,” to make their way to American soil vary widely depending on where on Cuba they began their journeys and where they happen to land, but the trips can take as much as six days, meaning the refugees caught on video in Hallandale Beach likely left the island before Elsa made landfall there, and may have barely missed the eye of the storm when arriving in Florida. Video of the unknown migrants’ arrival surfaced on social media Tuesday, taken by local resident Jaime López, who can be heard narrating the video.
