Do we really know how many thousands of Cubans enter US through the Mexican border every year? It is known to all Cubans and probably many Americans and citizens around the world that Cubans are allowed in the American territory as soon as they reach either the Canadian border of the Mexican border.

According to the word of mouth all you have to do is to present your passport, a Cuban identification card or if you have no identification at all (probably in the case of athletes or government functionaries who are running away) you just say that you are a Cuban citizen and that you are seeking political asylum (see the Cuban Adjustment Act). They will detain you for registration and you will enter the States with a parole document which will provide you with the permanent residence in one year and one day.

This is what you hear from Cubans who have done it, a lot of them. Most of the times you hear that they have crossed the Mexican border, as it is easier for a Cuban to get a visit visa to Mexico than to get a temporary visa to Canada. There have been a lot of corruption and trouble with the Mexican government. Cubans state that the Mexicans change their personnel in Havana very often but nothing is really under proper control. Cuban citizens continue paying the price, literally, for the Mexican visa, to later cross the border to USA.

I wish I could talk to one of those Cubans who have had the recent experience of crossing the border.  A dear friend of mine is planning to “go to the other side soon” and I am starting to fear that it might be dangerous for her to travel to the border. Apparently, Mexicans who also want to cross to the US are willing to pay a few thousand dollars for a stolen Cuban ID or even more for a stolen passport. Cases of Cubans who have been kidnapped to ask for money from their relatives in Florida are more common than I thought and it looks like you cannot trust anyone until you get to speak to an American officer.

I keep hearing that a 15 minute taxi ride to the border costs $200 US dollars, that some immigration officers will ask Cubans for money at the airports closer to the borders… All the information that gets to me is broken and insufficient. The worst part is that I cannot communicate much with my friend in Cuba, the constant secrecy of Cubans trying to exit the island always leaves me uninformed, plus, they probably do not have a clear idea of what they are getting into.

I promise I will gather more info once my friend is on the north side. I cannot wait until the whole thing is over. I am scared for my friend but she will never know. I will soon have another good reason to visit Miami.