Biden Administration Loosening Restrictions on Cuba

White House CHANGES Trump Ban – A Complete Reversal

(USNewsMag.com) – The US government’s Cuba policy has changed a few times over the last several years. Now, President Joe Biden is ready to change it again. However, not everyone supports the new policy shift.

On Monday, May 16, the White House announced Biden is shifting the US policy on Cuba to focus on “human rights and empowering the Cuban people.” To that end, the administration is reinstating the Cuba Family Reunification Parole program. He’s also lifting the $1,000 cap on money sent from the US to the island, expanding flights beyond Havana, and allowing group tours again. Additionally, for the first time in 60 years, the US government will allow American companies to invest in privately owned Cuban businesses.

Many of the changes are a reversal of former President Donald Trump’s policies and moving more toward former President Barack Obama’s vision of American-Cuban relations.

Breaking: Biden is reversing several Trump administration policies on Cuba, expanding flights, authorizing group travel and reestablishing a family reunification program suspended for years after a monthslong review, officials tell us. (w/ @ngameztorres) https://t.co/IhAOSULVcb

— Michael Wilner (@mawilner) May 16, 2022

Biden won’t reinstate “people-to-people” travel or remove any businesses from the Cuba Restricted List. As soon as the administration announced the decision, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the son of Cuban immigrants, issued a statement slamming the president. He mentioned the anti-communism protests in Cuba and said the move “sends the wrong message to the wrong people” for the wrong reasons.

Chairman Menendez's statement on the Biden administration's announced changes to United States policy toward Cuba: pic.twitter.com/mPxe0fgrk3

— Senate Foreign Relations Committee (@SFRCdems) May 16, 2022