MIAMI – It's been a long wait for some families at Miami International Airport who had been expecting family members for hours, some even a full day, but it seems the elimination of the "Wet foot, dry foot" policy is causing massive uncertainty, confusion and frustration.
"They have been detained, some of them having valid tourist visas to come into the U.S. for 5 years," Ramon Saul Sanchez said. "Some of them have been repatriated to Cuba already in the last few hours."
Dalia Lemus said her 82-year-old father, Jose Ramon Lemus, was expected to arrive Saturday morning. She said he's used a valid travel visa to come to the U.S. before, but this time, she said he was held here for hours after landing, and was later transported to an immigration detention center without warning or explanation.
Belkis Linares suffered a similar wait from Thursday into Friday, for her 24-year-old cousin, Javier Rodriguez Ayala.
"We spent the whole night of the 12th, and Friday also we were waiting and waiting outside to see what's going on and he didn't show up," Linares said.
But their story came to a hopeful conclusion after 36 hours. Ayala, who also has a 5-year visa, was cleared through customs.
As for Dalia Lemus' dad, and dozens of others like him, the sudden policy change leaves them in limbo as their futures are sorted out.
"That needs to be explained," Sanchez said. "People need to understand their rights or at least the law so they don't do something that will violate it."
The Department of Homeland Security has released a statement to Local 10 News, which reads:
"Cuban nationals who arrived into Miami International Airport after the implementation of the new policy will be processed according to their disposition like every other foreign national who is seeking entry into the U.S.
"The Department of Homeland Security will no longer give special preference to parole requests made by Cuban nationals who reach the United States, and they may be subject to expedited removal. Like nationals from other countries, Cubans in the United States can seek asylum and other available forms of relief or protection from removal."