![]() Just one month after the Refugee Act became law, the Mariel Boatlift was underway in April 1980. It also clarified that a refugee was a person with a " well-founded fear of persecution." It provided refugees with settlement and financial assistance, as well as job training and English language lessons. It raised the limit on how many refugees the U.S. It offered a pathway for all refugees, not just Cubans, to become permanent residents within one year. The Refugee Act of 1980 was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. They also have to prove they’re Cuban through documentation and prove that they were admitted into the country by an immigration officer - someone who officially checked them in. residents after physically being in the country for one year. It provides Cubans with a streamlined, unique way to obtain a green card and eventually become naturalized citizens. This was signed into law by President Lyndon B. In comparison to other immigrant groups in the U.S., Cubans have a much clearer path to permanent residency and citizenship due to the Cuban Adjustment Act. Many Cuban exiles are able to visit loved ones in Cuba once they become residents or citizens of the U.S. Angela Major/WPR Paths to residency and citizenship in the U.S. Marcos Calderón plays music with his friends and fellow Mariel refugees in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in April 2021. So (I) use that to help others and that's my intention. But this is when you realize I'm dying no matter what. He has bone cancer. It's his dying wish to go back to Cuba - to visit his home one more time. "(It was) a lot of hard work to make a place for food on the table so we all can eat, you know?"įor Calderón, the dream of returning home is becoming more urgent than for the others. Thank (him) for the way they educate me," he said. In the more than 40 years Calderón has lived in the U.S., many of his family members in Cuba have died, including his father and one brother. "If I have the chance to go back home, the first thing will be going to the cemetery where my mother's buried," he said.Ĭalderón's eyes filled with tears as he thought about returning to Cuba and visiting his mother's grave. "My mama love me with all her heart to this day."Īnd then there's Pozo's friend, Calderón, also of La Crosse. "I want to go see my mama before she dies. More than anything, he wants to see his mother. Pozo, who lives in La Crosse, also wants to visit Cuba. My sister says, 'My brother, before I die, all I want (is) to see you.'" "I got my family waiting for me, you know. 1 vision is to be able to one day visit my country, embrace my family and bring clothes and whatever they need," Durruthy said. The country where he was born is always on his mind - even if he hasn't seen Cuba in more than 40 years. Osvaldo Durruthy, of Madison, has a Cuban flag above his dining room table. But their hearts remain in Cuba, and they still want to visit their homeland one more time. Now that these men are in their 60s, they’ve spent most of their lives in the United States. When they play live in downtown La Crosse, they bring together Cubans and welcome non-Cubans into their world, sharing music and stories. They’re also deeply connected to their Midwestern hometowns. These Cuban exiles who arrived in Wisconsin in 1980 as part of the Mariel Boatlift have become bandmates, friends and family to one another. Ernesto Rodriguez is wearing a Cuban jersey, smiling big while playing his signature bongos. Marcos Calderón is dressed in a flowing black and white polka dot shirt and plays the saxophone, which he just started teaching himself. On stage, Rodosvaldo Pozo sits behind a drum set, his dreadlocks swaying with the music. After dinner, the musicians take to the stage and the crowd hits the dance floor. There’s a blessing before people fill their plates. To the right of the stage is a huge spread of food: slow-cooked pork, plantains, rice and beans. People are beginning to trickle into the Popcorn Tavern, a longtime live music bar. It's a Sunday night in downtown La Crosse. Episodio 8: traducción al español próximamente ![]()
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