>Cuba Travel Restrictions Shows Reach of U.S. Law

As an immigration lawyer I'm accustomed to the notion that U.S. citizens have different rights and responsibilities than non-U.S. citizens, and I've viewed U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba in that light.  But I learned recently that U.S. law restricts travel to Cuba for more than just U.S. citizens.  U.S. law requires a license for travel to Cuba for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, individuals physically present in the United States, and branches or subsidiaries of U.S. organizations around the world, among others.  Cuba is a popular vacation destination for citizens of Canada and European countries, but it's a risky choice for people who want to spend time in the United States or pursue business opportunities here.  Licenses for authorized travel to Cuba are issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the U.S. Treasury Department.

Comments

[John McAuliff]

Restrictions on travel to Cuba have a legal basis but are entirely political in their application.

Cuban Americans, college students and religious organizations have a general license which does not require application to the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The President can go much further than that.

Until then we live in a modern version of Jim Crow in which some Americans have rights and others don't.

Latest on travel at http://cubapeopletopeople.blogspot.com

John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development