Foreign Policy – The Immigration Bulletin

Recent Changes to the Trade Embargo May Facilitate Cuban Baseball Players Being Able to Legally Play for MLB Teams

Last week, President Obama authorized the elimination of a ban on Cuban access to the international banking system, which in turn would allow a Cuban national to make a living in the United States without requiring that person to emigrate. As a result, the door now is open for Cuban baseball players to legally play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) club while maintaining a permanent residence in Cuba. Continue reading “Recent Changes to the Trade Embargo May Facilitate Cuban Baseball Players Being Able to Legally Play for MLB Teams”

Important Changes to Byzantine Cuban Assets Control Regulations

For over 50 years, the ability to travel to Cuba and do business or trade with Cuban nationals has been governed by a byzantine set of regulations administered by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Continue reading “Important Changes to Byzantine Cuban Assets Control Regulations”

Bridging the Divide: Cuba Today

For the last half a century, the United States and Cuba have been separated by more than just the 247 miles between the Port of Miami and the Puerto de la Habana. Because of the economic embargo in place for much of that time, the two countries have been worlds apart. Continue reading “Bridging the Divide: Cuba Today”

Bienvenidos a Habana

And so it begins. After more than 50 years of icy relations, Jeffrey DeLaurentis (a U.S. diplomat at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana) delivered a note from President Barak Obama to Cuban President Raul Castro restoring diplomatic relations. Continue reading “Bienvenidos a Habana”

Cuba: La Perla de las Antillas

Now that summer is here, hopefully most of us are planning our vacations. Although most summers, I return to my native Puerto Rico to visit family and spend some time at the beach, I’m always reading the newspaper (digitally these days) to look for new places to travel. If you’ve been reading the news over the past several months, there have been quite a few articles about a new Caribbean destination for travelers: Cuba. Continue reading “Cuba: La Perla de las Antillas”

Cuban Baseball Players Are No Longer Required to Obtain a License to Play Ball

Earlier this month, Major League Baseball eliminated a burdensome requirement that made it difficult for MLB franchises to sign Cuban nationals. Until last month, a Cuban national wanting to sign with a MLB franchise as a free agent was required to obtain a specific license from the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Continue reading “Cuban Baseball Players Are No Longer Required to Obtain a License to Play Ball”

Bridging the Gap to Cuba

Last December, President Barack Obama announced a series of changes to the United States’ policy toward Cuba. The most significant changes, from a foreign policy perspective, included restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba and opening a U.S. embassy in Havana. But the announced changes also included easing the restrictions on the ability of Americans to travel to and do business with Cuba. Recently, the current administration promulgated amended regulations implementing the policy changes President Obama announced in December. Continue reading “Bridging the Gap to Cuba”