I have said it before and I will say it again: The problem in Cuba is Fidel Castro and until Castro is gone the United States cannot and should not normalize relations with the closest of our Caribbean neighbors. Indeed. we should tighten the embargo. not relax it. Last week. many of my colleagues were surprised to learn that I consider the administrations new Cuban immigration policy a positive step in the right direction. As a Representative from Florida who does not support normalizing relations with Castros Cuba. I believe that we must take steps to regularize Cuban immigration. to bring order to what has been a chaotic situation for far too long. Last year. the President and his foreign policy team created a problemthis year we are trying to deal with the mess left over from some sloppy efforts at a Caribbean policy. Now there are no good choices. only necessary choices. Why? Because sitting in Guantanamo are more than 21.000 Cuban refugees and several hundred Haitians. Even after the current paroling process is completed. the White House expects there will still be more than 15.000 refugees. mostly young men. left in primitive. stressful. living conditions. Add to that an infinite boredom. a hopeless future. and a long hot summer and you have ignition for launching a disaster. My last trip to Guantanamo was in March with Senator BOB GRAHAM.
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refugees immigration