High Number of Cubans Arrived in U.S. in July

Cuba is grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis characterized by acute shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies, leading to the collapse of its economy. Nearly 90 percent of the population is now living in extreme poverty, including residents of Havana, the capital and political center of the communist regime. The deteriorating living conditions have triggered the worst migrant crisis in Cuba's history, with a significant decline in the population as citizens seek better opportunities abroad. According to Diario de Cuba, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics reveal that 196,567 Cubans have arrived in the United States during the 2024 fiscal year. Although arrivals in June and July were lower than in May, projections suggest that over 235,000 Cubans could reach the U.S. by the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Since December 2021, the U.S. has documented the arrival of 608,757 Cubans, highlighting the ongoing exodus. The Ortega regime in Nicaragua has facilitated the entry of Cubans without visas, yet it actively prevents known dissidents from landing, reportedly at the request of the Castro government. Notably, recent arrivals include Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, a former member of the Cuban Communist Party, raising concerns among U.S. lawmakers about how he obtained a visa. Representative Maria Elvira Salazar has called for his expulsion, while immigration attorney Willy Allen has urged for a federal investigation into the matter. The situation underscores the complexities of U.S. immigration policies, as other officials from the Castro regime have entered the U.S. through programs like the CBP One app and the now-suspended Humanitarian Parole program. Meanwhile, the Castro regime's influence continues to extend even to the families of its officials, as evidenced by the recent arrivals of the Cuban prime minister's nieces in Florida.