CUBA REVIEW: Who is Most Worthy of Adjustment?

Few laws have defined the Cuban exile experience as profoundly as the Cuban Adjustment Act, and its validity is once again under scrutiny following hardened border policies in the United States. The questioning of Cuban travelers at U.S. airports has reignited debate over the consistency of the law’s application, while within and beyond the Cuban-American community, opinions remain divided between those who challenge the law’s relevance and those who defend it as an untouchable instrument of exile solidarity. In this edition, we examine the origins and implications of this controversy, along with the paradox faced by an anxious exile community in Florida as a renovated Freedom Tower reopens. We also cover Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s call for an investigation into agencies that may be evading sanctions, Cuban-American businessman Mike Fernández’s public campaign against “cruel” immigration policies championed by President Trump and local Republican leaders, and new signs of international support for Havana, from Vietnam and China. We close with the voices of Fernando Pérez and Leonardo Padura, whose reflections from culture and literature capture the depth of Cuba’s ongoing crisis.