South Florida families reel from Trump administration travel bans
By Alex Browning, Vanessa Medina, Aaron Page
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MIAMI, Florida (WSVN) — President Trump’s travel ban has gone into effect, blocking people from 12 different countries from entering the United States completely while severely restricting travelers from seven others. Many South Florida families are reeling from the effects of the ban, wondering what comes next.
Travel for Cubans to the US has been historically difficult. But soon, it may be all but impossible, as Monday marks the beginning of President Trump’s travel ban.
“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” said US President Donald Trump.
Ana Leal reunited with her family on Sunday at Miami International Airport as a reunion 10 years in the making.
Her family fled the Communist Cuban regime years ago; however, Ana was left behind. Her father told 7News in Spanish that she was almost not granted a visa.
At the US embassy in Cuba, hundreds of Cubans were seen in line for scarce visas for lucky ones like Ana. However, others are holding onto hope to be reunited with their families, such as Emerio, who says he’s been waiting for years to be with his son.
“My family is everything,” he said in Spanish.
As travelers arrived in Miami from Cuba Monday morning, some citizens and green card holders told 7News there was no additional scrutiny from immigration officers.
One woman, Magra, says she regularly visits her daughter and grandchildren in Cuba.
“It’s difficult, but that’s what the president decided,” Magra told 7News in Spanish. “We hope that after his four years, the United States returns to the way it was.”
Cuba, alongside Venezuela, is one of the seven countries that will receive a partial travel ban. The Trump administration says it will be slashing the number of visas issued to Cubans to force the island’s government to accept more deportees and cooperate with US law enforcement.
Some residents spoke to 7News, saying this decision will further split families who have left their families seeking political asylum.
“I like Donald Trump, but I think he’s doing wrong,” one man told 7News. “Because you don’t fix the problem when you isolate people, you fix problems when you help people.”
“It is what it is; I just think there is a process to follow,” said another man.
Haiti, another country with close ties to many South Floridians, will also be affected. They are under an implementation ban, meaning nationals will not be allowed into the country at all, barring few exceptions.
“As immigrant communities, when we are here, we count on our families to visit us,” said Tessa Petit, an activist and Haitian immigrant. “We count on them. That is what keeps us connected now; this is definitely going to separate our communities.”
According to the Trump administration, the primary reason for the ban is national security.
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