Miami organization helps newly arrived Cubans with no family support

Miami organization helps newly arrived Cubans with no family support

During fiscal year 2015, almost 41,000 Cubans arrived in the United
States without visas
That is largest annual number to arrive in the country in more than10 years
Foundation Exodus 94 has helped more than 500 Cubans so far and the need
is growing
ALFONSO CHARDY
achardy@elnuevoherald.com

Reynaldo Favier Cobas and his son left Cuba for Ecuador on Sept. 30 and
by early November both were on their way to the United States.

As a result, Cobas and his son — Reinaldo Favier Vega — managed to avoid
the stranded Cuban refugee crisis in Central America and were able to
enter the United States through the Mexican border without any problems.

Trouble came when the men arrived in Miami where they have no relatives
and therefore could find no place to stay. They might have wound up
sleeping on the street had Alicia García of Foundation Exodus 94 not
stepped in to help them. The group has has emerged as a veritable rescue
group in Miami for the growing number of Cuban immigrants who have no
relatives here and shelter.

With the number of Cubans arriving at the U.S.-Mexican border without
visas growing, in the aftermath of last year's diplomatic thaw between
the United States and Cuba, the number of Cubans who have no relatives
in Miami coming across the border is also increasing.

During fiscal year 2015, which ran from Oct. 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2015,
almost 41,000 Cubans arrived in the United States — without visas — the
largest annual number of island migrants without visas to arrive in the
country in more than10 years. Most of these Cubans, almost 31,000, came
across the Mexican border — while the rest arrived on rafts and boats or
at international airports.

One of the Cubans assisted by Alicia Garcia and interviewed Thursday,
along with Coba sand his son, had arrived at Miami International Airport
(MIA) on a flight from the Bahamas. Sandy Riguera Guillén arrived last
month after flying from Havana to Freeport in the Bahamas where he
boarded another plane to MIA.

Cobas, 44, and his 22-year-old son, Reinaldo Favier Vega, left Cuba for
Ecuador on Sept. 30.

After 20 days in Ecuador, Cobas and his son began their long journey to
the United States.

They said they initially had no plans to travel to the U.S. Their
original plan, they said, was to buy clothing and other items in Ecuador
and then return to Cuba and resell them.

But while in Ecuador, they learned from other Cubans that they were
headed to the U.S. border and decided to join them. Cobas said he
decided to make the trip with his son to give him a better chance in
life in the United States.

"I saw no future for him in Cuba," he said.

They first traveled overland to neighboring Colombia where they hired a
boat to take them to Panama. There they hopped on a series of buses
through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala until they reached
Mexico.

Once in Tapachula, a Mexican city on the border with Guatemala, they
boarded a plane to Mexico City where they transferred to a flight for
Reynosa, on the Texas border. From there they crossed into the United
States. They finally reached Miami on Nov. 7.

This means that, by only a few days, Cobas and his son were spared being
caught up in the Central American Cuban refugee crisis that has stranded
thousands of island migrants in Costa Rica.

The crisis began after Costa Rican authorities dismantled a migrant
trafficking network in a raid Nov. 10. The problem then moved to the
Costa Rican border with Nicaragua when Nicaraguan authorities prevented
Cubans from crossing the border.

Meanwhile, Riguera Guillen, 20, boarded a plane to Freeport in the
Bahamas on Nov. 3. There he boarded another plane that brought him
directly to MIA.

"I arrived as a tourist," said Riguera Guillén, who carried a Spanish
passport since his father was from Spain. "When I got to migration at
the Miami airport I asked for political asylum."

Riguera Guillen said after spending several hours at passport control,
MIA immigration officials released him with a parole document that
allows him to seek permanent residence after more than a year in the
country.

Like Cobas and his son, Riguera Guillén also does not have family in
Miami, but a friend let him stay at his house for one night the day he
arrived.

Riguera Guillen then linked up with eight other Cubans who also had no
relatives in Miami, and eventually the group located Alicia García, the
Foundation Exodus 94 leader, who took them to a shelter.

The three Cubans interviewed for this story were staying at the Coral
Park Baptist church at the corner of SW 87th Avenue and 16th Street.

Garcia said that since last year, her organization has assisted more
than 500 Cubans who have been unable to find shelter after arriving in
Miami. So far this month, she said, she has assisted more than 30
homeless Cuban migrants.

García said her group was now trying to set up a permanent shelter for
homeless Cuban migrants, and asked the Cuban community to help with
donations of money and items.

"We need bunk beds, bed sheets, towels and other items," she said.

People interested in donating to her organization can contact García at
305-354-0982.

Alfonso Chardy: 305-376-3435, @AlfonsoChardy

Source: Miami organization helps newly arrived Cubans with no family
support | Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article49441735.html