Despite a 2016 surge in Cuban arrivals, which came in anticipation of the end to preferential treatment, the rate of growth of the U.S. Given the shift in policies towards Cubans and recent overall immigration policy changes by the Trump administration, Cuban flows to the United States increased at a slower rate in 2018-growing 2 percent from 2017 to 2018, down from 3 percent the previous year. Puerto Rico is also a top destination, with 13,600 Cubans. The United States is the top destination for Cuban immigrants, followed by Spain (141,400), Italy (37,300), Canada (19,000), Germany (13,400), and Mexico (12,900), according to mid-2019 United Nations Population Division estimates. Historically, Cubans have been among the top ten immigrant groups in the United States since 1970, and in FY 2018 were the seventh largest group, with more than 1.3 million Cubans accounting for roughly 3 percent of the overall immigrant population of 44.7 million. border without prior authorization have been removed on par with other foreign nationals, with their deportations rising seven-fold from fiscal year (FY) 2017 to FY 2018. Following this change, Cuban migrants arriving at the U.S. land port without a visa would be admitted or paroled into the country. As a result, shortly before leaving office, Obama ended one part of the “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy that began in the mid-1990s, under which Cubans arriving at a U.S. border in greater numbers, fearful that the unique status they have long enjoyed would cease. But as Cold War-era tensions between the two countries lessened and normalization of relations began in 2014 under President Obama, Cubans began traveling through Central America and arriving at the U.S. Cuban immigrants have enjoyed preferential treatment in the United States since the 1960s, and been given a direct and swift path to legal permanent residence. policy on Cuban immigration has reversed itself in dramatic fashion.

About destination adjustment program