Family makes epic journey to America (Cubans in 51 Chevy truck/raft) [View All]

[Mika]

Family makes epic journey to America

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM FOR CUBAN 'TRUCKONAUT' AND HIS FAMILY
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11196970.htm

The mastermind behind the ''truckonauts,'' whose gutsy voyages to freedom from Cuba aboard 1950s-vintage vehicles failed, has finally made it to Miami.

He did it the hard way. By land.

-

Last week, Grass' third and successful attempt was by land, crossing the U.S. border with Mexico. Still, the ingenious and persistent Grass and his family said they hit some rough terrain.

-
Once they reached Texas, they were held by immigration officials for several days in Brownsville, where they asked for political asylum, said their attorney, Wilfredo Allen.
A Department of Homeland Security official said the department doesn't comment on asylum claims.
The Grasses were eventually paroled and allowed to travel to Miami in a van. They arrived over the weekend at the home of Isora's brother, Ruben Garcia.

Despite having failed a LEGAL US immigration application because of a criminal record, he gets to stay in the US because of the USs wet foot/dry foot and the Cuban Adjustment Act.


The USA offers over 20,000 LEGAL immigration visas per year to Cubans (and Bush just announced that the number would increase despite the fact that not all 20,000 were applied for in the last few years). This number is more than any other single country in the world. Its the US interests section in Cuba that does the criminal background check on the applicants.

The US's 'wet foot/ dry foot' policy (that applies to Cubans only) permits Cuban criminals and felons who arrive on US shores by illegal means to remain in the US despite having failed to qualify for a legal US immigration application.

Cubans who leave for the US without a US visa are returned to Cuba (if caught at sea - mainly in smuggler's go-fast boats @ $5,000 per head) by a US/Cuban repatriation agreement. But IF they make it to US soil, no matter who they are or what their criminal backround might be, they get to stay in the US and enjoy perks offered ONLY TO CUBAN IMMIGRANTS (via the US's Cuban Adjustment Act and a variety of other 'Cubans only' perks). Perks like instant work visa, instant green card, instant access to sec 8 taxpayer assisted housing, instant social security, instant welfare, free health care, and more.

These perks are not offered to any other immigrant group, but yet, without the perks offered to Cubans, immigrants still pour into the US from all over the Caribbean and the Latin Americas - many taking greater risks than Cubans to get here.


Get it? There is no such thing as a Cuban illegal immigrant. Plus, they get perks that no other group is offered.